Muscle Maximum Growth II

MAXIMUM GROWTH

Amazing Real-Life Success Stories Increased his max bench by 20 lbs, his squat by 40 lbs, and his shoulder press by 15 lbs…

BEFORE

AFTER

“Following Stephen’s Maximum Growth Program, and using Meta-CEL, I took my physique to the next level—in only four weeks! I’m no stranger to the gym and iron, but I was starting to settle for slow gains. As soon as I started using Meta-CEL and the Maximum Growth diet and training program, I saw substantial growth. The workouts are intense, and the nutrition is sound and easy to follow, which is why I recommend this Program combined with MetaCEL to all of my clients and friends!” Shaun Hadsall Dearborn Heights, MI Occupation: Gym Owner/Personal Trainer Age: 32

BEFORE

AFTER

Bodyfat dropped 5% and gained 3 lbs of muscle! “MAXIMUM GROWTH was an awesome four-week program to follow. I loved the format of this Program. Simple. Combined with Meta-CEL, my body responded really well to more weight training and less cardio. Women should not be afraid of the word ‘muscle’—or lifting weights—it’s an important part of building your body.” Tracy Lisac Oregon City, OR Occupation: Golf Course Owner

In 7 days, gained an astonishing 8 lbs of new, muscular bodyweight.

BEFORE

AFTER

“I was totally excited to start following the MAXIMUM GROWTH Program! Not only did I gain an astonishing 16 lbs of muscle but my strength soared. After eight weeks, I’m now 25 lbs heavier, and it’s all muscle. EVERY workout I stack on more weight. People at the gym are starting to notice drastic changes, and my friends are trying to figure out how I’ve changed so quickly. This program, combined with Meta-CEL, has worked better than I could have hoped.” Sean Larsgard Hillsboro, OR Occupation: Entrepreneur Age: 25

DO YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED IN OUR NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN? If you wouldn’t mind seeing your pictures in every “Muscle and Fitness” magazine across America and consider yourself SERIOUS about improving your body, simply visit www.themusclesystem.com/spokesperson for more details. Or if you can’t wait, please call 1-866-688-7679, Dept. #2189, ask to speak to one of iSatori’s friendly fitness experts, and tell them you want “IN” on the exclusive Maximum Growth spokesperson tryout.

The Program: A step-by-step, proven system that spells out exactly how to train, eat, and take supplements for maximum growth!

The Goal: To provide you with the answers you need to gain unsurpassed size, strength, and power—faster than you ever imagined.

The Community: Discover the lively and informative discussion board exclusive to MAXIMUM GROWTH participants at www.TheMuscleSystem.com. Ask your questions and read firsthand accounts of the amazing results people just like you are having right now with this breakthrough Program.

The Dream: To share this book, MAXIMUM GROWTH, with over 200,000 people, in the next 18 months—to help them reach their goals. (If you wish to share this valuable guide, please turn to the back page and learn how you can help!)

This guide is dedicated to all those who seek to build the best body their genetics will allow!

NOTICE: Before you begin following the instructions contained in “Maximum Growth”—the 8-Week Muscle Size and Strength Program, you should consult with your primary doctor to ensure you are in good health. For best results, follow the enclosed instructions as closely as possible, and do not exceed the recommended dosages of the supplements suggested in this guide. If you are diabetic, you should not use these supplements without prior consent from your primary physician. This manual is intended for information purposes only and is not meant to substitute for nor provide any type of medical advice. No liability is assumed by iSatori Technologies, LLC, or the authors of this manual for any information contained herein. © Copyright 2004-2007 by iSatori Technologies, LLC. Golden, CO USA. Printed in the USA.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Questions and/or comments?

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Contents Important Letter from Stephen Adelé ..... 4 Why training your chest and arms three times more often than your legs will skyrocket your whole body to never-before-imagined growth!

The 10 Laws ..... 9 Find out why almost everyone is dead wrong in how they train, eat, and take supplements if they want to gain unsurpassed size, strength, and power!

The Supplements ..... 33 Discover the facts about how my top three supplement recommendations, combined with Maximum Growth, are helping thousands of hard gainers pack on unbelievably dense, rock-hard muscle... and how it can help you too!

Maximum Growth Q&A’s ..... 39 Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Program, to help you build more muscle… as fast as humanly possible!

Putting the Pieces Together ..... 47 Your guide through the Maximum Growth Program: how, when, and what to eat; supplements to use; and the exercise plan.

The Workout ..... 55 Follow the 34-page day-by-day 8-Week Variable Split Weight Training Program, designed to create a serious surge in size and strength.

Appendix I: Muscle Size & Strength Forms ..... 95 Appendix II: The Exercises ..... 97 Discover exactly how to perform each exercise (we’ve even included photos), making the workouts completely foolproof. It’s like having your own personal trainer.

Appendix III: The Meals ..... 103 Six days of complete sample meal plans you can use to help you easily design your own nutrition plan to ensure maximum muscle size and strength gains!

About the Author ..... 113


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An important letter from Stephen Adelé

( A u t h o r o f M a x i m u m G r o w t h , Vo l u m e I I )

Here’s Why Training Your Chest and Arms Three Times More Often Than Your Legs Is Not Only Desirable But Will Skyrocket Your Whole Body to Never-Before-Imagined Growth! Bigger, stronger arms… A fuller, more powerful-looking chest… just from doing something you’ve likely been looking for an excuse to do anyway!! (Man, it’s like finding out the best diet in the world is pizza and beer!)

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not. In fact, it’s not only desirable, but research proves it can literally skyrocket your muscular growth …building on top of the gains you’ve already made! Dear Friend, You and I are a lot alike. We have more in common than you might realize. Besides the obvious two hands, two feet, two legs, ten fingers, and ten toes… what goes on inside each of us is very much the same as well. Within a small range, we undergo the same biological processes inside our bodies. And since all humans are pretty much the same, the biological processes that are responsible for muscle growth (known as hypertrophy) must also be the same. In other words, there’s no strange, unexplained phenomenon taking place inside us. This fact alone explains why it can be just as easy for you to build a stronger, more muscular physique as it is for me, my brother, my accountant, or any other “average Joe.” See, most people tend to overlook this basic, fundamental scientific fact, and as a result, they never “test” or “push” their limits for increased natural muscular growth. Sadly, very few people ever reach anywhere near their full genetic potential. Granted, there is no magic formula that will show you how much muscle you can ultimately develop. I can tell you, with complete certainty, that the new breakthrough training Program I am about to share with you will help you “break the cycle”—to blast your muscular gains through the roof! (…it’s like there’s no ceiling on the amount of new muscle you can grow!!) I started out as a competitive bodybuilder in my early years and have now been weight training for over 15 years. I have to admit, many of my years of training were spent looking for any excuse to “explain” why I was not able to achieve a more muscular body. (Like the ones I saw in the advertisements anyway!) Then it “hit” me. It was a true awakening. One day, while flipping through some old research on postworkout resistance weight training, I noticed a few startling facts that pertain to what I now refer to as the “magical period of maximum growth!” It’s a distinct period of post-training time called “overcompensation.” Now, I won’t get too technical or overly scientific here, but I will provide you with the basics—some facts about what overcompensation is, how it serves as the foundation of this new breakthrough Program, and how you can use this critical post-workout period to your advantage… to maximize your gains in (and out) of the gym!! 15000 West 6th Avenue, Suite #202, Golden, CO 80401 USA

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First, what is overcompensation? To understand this, let’s take a look at the process of recovery for a single muscle, in response to a stimulus, brought on by a single training session. Fact 1: As you know, post-workout muscle fatigue is followed by a general recovery period. Then, something interesting and important takes place… the muscle enters a phase called overcompensation. During this all-important phase, your muscle has an increased capacity to grow—in other words, for a brief, precise amount of time (anywhere from one to five days, depending on the body part) the muscle is actually bigger, stronger, and much more able to grow than when it was trained before. Essentially, this period of time—called overcompensation—is a short-lived period where you can actually trigger new muscle growth by working it out again. On the flip side, if the muscle is not trained again during this period, it undergoes a process known as involution. In other words, the muscle returns to normal… and you guessed it, you missed a great “window of opportunity” to blast your muscles into growth mode. Now, if you “hit” this period just right… voila! Instant, new muscular growth. Needless to say, targeting this critically important period of “super-recovery” is the goal of our new Program!! And, to hit these critically important periods of overcompensation, with exact scientific accuracy, we’ve built a custom Program that optimizes your workouts (check out the corresponding graph below to see how all of these phases work) …combined into one system of training: it’s called the Variable Split System.

Fact 2: Undoubtedly, the Variable Split System of weight training is like no other Program you have ever tried. I promise. It is a revolutionary approach to a problem that has plagued literally hundreds of thousands of people seeking results from their workouts… How much training is enough, and when does enough become too much!? The majority of past training programs have always treated each and every muscle on your body exactly the same. This is a big mistake!! Let me explain… Providing the same amount of training to each muscle, at the same intervals, is like feeding an elephant and a mouse the same amount of food and expecting similar results. Without a doubt, the mouse will get fat on an amount that would starve the elephant. In the same light, training your legs every other day would severely over train them, while training your biceps once a week would leave them seriously under trained. Get the point?

15000 West 6th Avenue, Suite #202, Golden, CO 80401 USA


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You see, most standard, run-of-the-mill training fails to take into consideration how the muscles that require the most time to recuperate (i.e., your legs) hold back the rest of your body (i.e., your chest, shoulders, and arms) from being trained as frequently as they really should. And as a result, you literally stunt your “real” genetic potential for muscular growth on these other body parts. Training all muscle groups at your slowest recovering muscle group’s recovery pace is the absolute worst, most damaging mistake. Amazingly, your fastest recovering muscle groups may actually be in a state of atrophy (literally shrinking in size) by the time you get around to training them again. This explains why you can, and should, train your arms and chest more frequently than your legs— once you realize these “little” muscle groups recover much, much faster than any other muscle groups, particularly the legs. Pretty fascinating, isn’t it? While the Variable Split is not an entirely new type of training philosophy, nor is it “earth-shattering,” it is a concept that has been grossly overlooked by the majority of people weight training. Look at it this way: the good new is, you’ll be quietly packing on new, solid muscle, while others at the gym are staring at you in disbelief—frustrated by their lack of progress—and your success… from following this new breakthrough Program!! You’ll be learning how to stay in your personal “maximum growth zone” during every single workout… allowing you to get results from every rep you do, every set you perform, every workout, every time! …with our new Variable Split Program, you could turn yourself into a virtual muscle-growth factory, 24/7. (With the kind of amazing results that could build on themselves like a muscular landslide!) That’s why I wrote this book—MAXIMUM GROWTH—to show you exactly how to do it... to provide the answers you need to gain unsurpassed muscle size and strength, in the shortest amount of time! As the Editor-in-Chief of the fastest growing, most talked about fitness and physique development magazine in the world, Real SOLUTIONS, I’ve been able to access my “inside connections” to the leading minds in the industry, uncover the most accurate, up-to-date information on physique enhancement, and combine that with my personal 15 plus years of weight training to put together a step-by-step, proven system that spells out exactly how to eat, train, and take supplements for MAXIMUM GROWTH! Here’s a “preview” of what you’ll find in this breakthrough program: 1. Introduction: Overcoming the Most Disastrous Muscle-Building Challenge (Find out why most fitness advice is dead wrong!) 2. The 10 Secret Laws to Gain Strength and Build Muscle (I’ll uncover the real, scientifically proven truths to smarter, faster muscle growth!) 3. A 34-page, day-by-day, 8-Week Variable Split Weight-Training Program (This one-of-a-kind program has been designed to help beginners and advanced weight trainers alike experience a serious surge in size and strength!) 4. Pre- and Post-Body Measurement and Strength Tests (Record and track your staggering results with these easy-to-follow journaling sheets!) 5. My Top Three Supplements (Discover the facts about how these new supplements are helping thousands of hardgainers pack on unbelievably dense, rock-hard muscle… and how they can help you too. As a special bonus, this book also contains... 6. A specific section that explains exactly how to perform each exercise. We’ve even included pictures, so you can’t go wrong—making the workouts completely foolproof. It’s like having your own personal trainer. Plus, an entire week’s worth of meal plans too! And that’s it. That’s all I’m going to teach you, because... That’s all you need to know! 15000 West 6th Avenue, Suite #202, Golden, CO 80401 USA

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Make no mistake, though, to achieve 100% success with this Program, you need to follow the workouts and meal plans to the letter. I mean it. Like I said before, you can’t expect maximum results with a “hit or miss” system. Of course, switching out an exercise for an equivalent one is fine, but missing a workout here and there or skipping meals will not produce the results you’re after! To make the Program easy to follow, we’ve spelled out exactly what you need to do, providing a calendar of your workout and non-workout days. It’s separated into two pages—one for the first four weeks and a second page for the last four weeks. This calendar tells you exactly what days to train and which muscle groups to train each day (you can see it on page 59). Again, all you do is simply check off your daily scheduled workout after you train. It’s that simple! We’ve also provided a “Sample Workout” page, so you can see, firsthand, how to use the daily workout sheets. As well, we’ve included a page on “How to Read and Follow Your Workout Schedule.” Read this page carefully, please. This page discusses the more advanced training techniques like drop-sets, super-sets, and failure sets. To get the most out of your workouts, and prevent misunderstandings, carefully read the instructions. Once you read through them, you’ll be well on your way to having flawless, intense workouts!! Plus, we’ve included an additional section that covers “how” to perform each exercise. I think you’ll find this section, appropriately entitled “The Exercises,” easy to understand, and hopefully, if we’ve done our job right, they will help you perform the exercises prescribed in the Program with maximum output and proper form—so you can again get the most out of each workout! While the workouts are fundamentally basic, they are not easy by any means. Don’t fool yourself; they will require your hard work and intensity. Yet, followed to the letter, these principles are remarkably powerful in their ability to trigger new muscle growth, faster than you ever imagined. I guarantee it. Make no mistake about it, my friend, over the coming weeks, as you look at yourself in the mirror and witness the drastic, noticeable changes in your physique, you’ll be thankful you discovered them too! While I am not, nor do I pretend to be, a research scientist…our purpose here is to bring you a completely scientifically based system of training that flat out works! And, I’m certain, after you’ve tried our new Variable Split Program for at least eight weeks, we’ll have delivered on that promise. So let’s get started!! Turn the page to begin a journey to a new, more muscular you! With respect and admiration,

Stephen Adele Editor-in-Chief, Real SOLUTIONS President, CEO, iSatori P.S. By the way, I’d like to remind you that if, after reading this Program manual, or during the course of following the workouts, you have any (I mean any!) additional questions about the Program or the new mus15000 West 6th Avenue, Suite #202, Golden, CO 80401 USA


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cle-building supplements 3-XLTM or H-BlockerTM, please feel free to call our expert fitness advisors. (Maybe you already have? If so, you’ve likely experienced what thousands of other people have—the highest quality, most knowledgeable and friendliest people in the fitness industry.) You can reach them between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. MST by calling toll free 1-866-688-7679 (Dept. #2189). Or, if you prefer, you can always email them at [email protected]. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to answer your questions and provide you with all the information you need to make the gains you want! P.P.S. IMPORTANT: If you would like to win an “endorsement” contract with iSatori (the makers of 3-XL and H-Blocker), and you’re interested in becoming famous overnight… literally, as you’ll be featured in every muscle and fitness magazine on the newsstands for their national advertising campaign… plus, be awarded thousands of dollars in free supplements… then you need to be certain to submit your strength tests and body measurements (found in Appendix I) to us no later than 12 weeks after you start this Program. And don’t forget to accompany your measurements with your before and after pictures. It’s important to note, the deadline to send these in is approximately 12 weeks after you’ve first started this Program. (For more information about 3-XL and H-Blocker, please refer to The Supplements section of this Program.) We can’t wait to hear from you!!

15000 West 6th Avenue, Suite #202, Golden, CO 80401 USA

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The Ten Laws Introduction

WHY ALMOST EVERYONE IS DEAD WRONG IN HOW THEY TRAIN, EAT, AND TAKE SUPPLEMENTS IF THEY WANT TO GAIN UNSURPASSED SIZE, STRENGTH, AND POWER!

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YOU WANT A BIG, POWERFUL-LOOKING CHEST, SHOULDERS LIKE CANNONBALLS, AND ARMS THAT GRAB ATTENTION NO MATTER WHAT SHIRT YOU’RE WEARING, RIGHT? You want a body you can be proud of, correct? Quite simply, you want a body that demands respect! Hey, I don’t blame you. Make no mistake about it, nothing builds more confidence, respect, and power than a strong, healthy, muscular physique. Nothing. Unfortunately, 98% of all guys totally “miss the boat” when it comes to understanding how to pack on dense, rock-hard muscle. It’s very likely that outdated fitness advice may be the culprit which is killing your progress in the gym and holding back your potential. Make no mistake, if you want to build a more muscular, well-defined body, to follow what was once thought of as conventional wisdom these days is dead wrong! Much of the advice given out is based on half-truths, unproven myths, and completely outdated information. So what if I showed you how you can easily manipulate your physiology to get serious growth, without limits, as www.TheMuscleSystem.com

fast as humanly possible? Sound impossible? It’s not. Actually, it’s quite easy to learn how. And, I’ve got the answers you need. Although it’s not going to be easy to accomplish, I know you wouldn’t still be reading this right now if it weren’t worth it. That’s why I want to show you how to do it. Maybe you’re a little skeptical about now... Perhaps you’ve been here before: you purchased your gym membership and got your gym bag ready to go. (Or built a great home gym.) You’re psyched. You’re ready to start packing on pounds of rock-solid, head-turning muscle. When suddenly, the questions arise: • When should I work out to get the best results? • What type of workouts should I do for maximum muscle gains? • Which exercises should I perform? • What type of foods should I eat? • What foods should I avoid? • What’s the best time to eat for the greatest muscle gains? • How important are supplements, and which ones should I use? 9

MAXIMUM GROWTH | 10 SECRET LAWS

Quickly, your questions turn into doubts. With all of the conflicting messages from so many different sources out there, you’re left more confused than ever before. Sure, you could spend countless hours in the gym, each and every day, maybe following this so-called expert’s training approach or that latest “muscle-bound” diet fad... Unfortunately, you’d see little, if any, real results for your efforts. (Maybe you’ve already tried this approach?!) Because, sadly, if you don’t have all of the answers to these questions, you’re just wasting your time in the gym. Seriously. And trial and error? That’s certainly not the answer either. It’s sure to only frustrate you. (Heck, you might even give up altogether!) I certainly don’t want that. Or... you can pay close attention to the 8-Week Program you’ve got in your hands and learn the right way to build unsurpassed muscle size and strength! You see, after years of training side by side with some of the industry’s leading physiques, and continually engaging in lengthy discussions with noted researchers in muscular performance, I’ve carefully assimilated the “do’s and don’ts” from each of them. You could say I’ve learned from their mistakes and taken away “what works.” What’s more, on top of my 15 plus years of weight training, I’ve poured countless hours into understanding the most recent scientific research in the areas of exercise physiology and performance enhancement—as well as results from people in the gym (real-world results). All to provide you with a scientifically proven, tried and tested guide to serious muscle-building success. The “core essentials” needed to pack on new rockhard muscle mass, fast.

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While there are a lot of things about building muscle size and strength that remain unknown, there are a number of fundamentals we know for sure. Over the last two to three years, several advancements have been made in nutrition and muscular performance, and they are also incorporated into this program. Still, many of the steps shown may seem too simplistic. But oftentimes, to be successful, you’ve got to go back to the “basics.” What matters most are results, and the 10 laws provided here are the surefire secrets to packing on more solid muscle and size in the coming months than most guys build in five or six agonizing years. In fact, you’ll see faster and better results in only eight short weeks if you follow this plan exactly how I spell it out! You’ll be the kind of “naturally built” guy that demands respect and attention everywhere you go. So pay attention, because here’s all you need to know to build rock-hard muscle and reach your maximum potential, as fast as humanly possible. By the way, remember to always seek the advice of your doctor before starting any exercise or nutrition program or taking any supplement. Although we’ve made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of the words and facts in this program, we cannot be made liable for any errors if they exist. This program is for informational purposes only and should not substitute for medical advice. There. Now that we’ve got that out of the way… let’s get on to uncovering the 10 secret laws that will make your body “explode” with new rock-hard muscle!

…to be successful, you’ve got to go back to the ‘basics.’

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Law 1

TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS

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OKAY, SO RIGHT NOW YOU’RE SAYING TO YOURSELF, “THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ‘WAY-TOOBASIC,’ COMMONSENSE THINGS,” RIGHT? Maybe you think I’m being a smart ass. Wait. Keep reading. We all know that weight training works, but how exactly do our muscles grow, and what’s the “best” way to blast their growth? You’re in luck, because I’m here to share the answers... Resistance training (as in with weights) causes tiny (micro) tears in the muscle fibers. As muscle fibers heal, they come back bigger and stronger than before. There are basically two ways a muscle can grow. One way is through a physiological process called muscle hypertrophy. This occurs after the muscle fiber has been broken down, as a result of resistance training, and an environment is created where the fiber works to rebuild itself. During this time (given that adequate rest and nutrition are present), the muscle cells within the fibers will continue to expand, synthesizing amino acids and proteins, to prepare themselves for the next time you train. In essence, the greater the muscle fiber breakdown during a workout, the bigger the muscle will be when it heals after your rest period. With repeated www.TheMuscleSystem.com

weight-training sessions, the muscle cell will continue to expand, and expand some more, as it approaches its maximum size. Another way, although still in its beginning stage of acceptance in the scientific community (because studies have been performed only on animals so far), is called hyperplasia. This is where a muscle cell reaches a certain size and splits, increasing the number of muscle fibers you have available, which, according to theory, makes room for more muscle growth. Either way a muscle grows, only through resistance training can you achieve maximum gains. And the most favorable form of resistance exercise comes from using weights. Period. The only question left then…what’s the optimal amount of sets and reps to do to induce the most muscle stress and to create the greatest muscular growth? Don’t let this answer set you back; I’ll explain it in greater detail in just a moment. The answer to this perplexing question is determined by the amount of weight used and the type of muscle being trained. See, we are all born with different amounts of muscle 11


fibers. Some of us have more fibers, and others have less. However, one thing that’s not different about us is that we are all born with two types of muscle fibers: slow-twitch (Type I) and fast-twitch (Type II). I’m not going to venture into any biochemical details about each of the muscle types. Let’s just say, the key to trigger new muscle growth is to work both types of muscle fibers hard enough to cause them both to break down and rebuild. Here’s how you can accomplish this… Using a higher rep scheme with lighter weights (in the 12- to 20-rep range), you will break down the type I fibers, so they grow larger. Work out with fewer reps (in the 6- to 10-rep range), with a near maximum amount of weight, and plenty of fast-twitch (Type II) muscle fibers will get the stimulus they need to respond. So, it’s safe to say you should alter your workouts to include high-rep days (anywhere from 12 to 20 reps for no more than three to four sets) and low-rep days (six to 12 reps for no more than four to five sets). For maximum growth, it’s been shown that you should work out with lower reps for three to four weeks, and then alter your workouts for three to four weeks, using higher rep days. Regardless of what you’ve heard, or read, a recent study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning found that a one-rep maximum, allout set won’t do it. The study showed that incorporating increased levels of sets and reps into your training program will lead to improved strength. And just as disastrous, a whole body workout, consisting of multiple high-rep sets, won’t do it either.

rep range, will continually recruit both types of muscle fibers and help you get bigger, stronger, faster. Just as important, don’t let yourself get sucked into the common myth that you always need to train with extremely low reps (in the three- to five-rep range) for muscles to grow. Nope, not unless you’re getting ready to compete in your local power-lifting competition should you risk training in this rep range. See, this type of training induces neuromuscular pathways (in other words, a stronger mind-muscle connection is created), rather than inducing muscular development. This is why a bodybuilder typically looks so much more physically appealing than a power lifter. By the way, just in case someone who sees you training one day with higher repetition sets thinks it’s a workout for sissies, simply show him a copy of this report and let him review the multiple scientific references at the end that refer to the amount of natural testosterone and growth hormone (hormones in the body that build muscle) released, which surge through your body as a result of high-rep workouts. He might start training with you, after he settles down.

That’s exactly why we included specific numbers of repetitions in each of the daily workouts found in the Maximum Growth Weight-Training Program (see Part III). Altering workouts, yet staying within the six- to 20-

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…the key to trigger new muscle growth is to work both types of muscle fibers.

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Law 2

EAT MORE CALORIES, ESPECIALLY PROTEIN

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IT’S EASY TO SEE THAT IF YOU FOLLOW A HAPHAZARD APPROACH TO EATING—gulping down foods whenever you feel like it or eating the typical three square meals a day and snacking on sugary and/or high-fat foods in between—you’re likely to look like over 70% of Americans. Overweight or outright fat! If you want a body that loudly advertises your commitment to yourself, then you have to go above normal. Here’s the lowdown on foods for “maximum growth”… While food won’t make your muscles grow, it will provide the essential elements necessary for muscle recovery. See, when we eat foods, our bodies break them down to obtain the necessary fuel to sustain life and perform our daily activities, including working out. There are three possible fates for the foods you consume: 1) it can be used up or burned, 2) it can be stored in the muscles for use, and 3) it can be stored as bodyfat. Of course, the later is not what we want. Instead, we’ll choose #2: stored in the muscles for use. First off, it’s a good idea to know how many calories www.TheMuscleSystem.com

you should be shooting for. You can easily figure out your daily caloric intake by taking your bodyweight and multiplying it by 15 (if your goal is to gain bodyweight, that is). (So, for example, a 175-lb man would eat approximately 2,625 calories). It’s not a perfect science, and it’s not any more complicated than that, but it works. Believe me. Still, I’m not saying you have to run around all day counting every calorie you consume. Just be aware of how many calories—how much fuel— your body needs every day to build muscle. Whenever you’re considering what types of foods should make up those calories, remember this: all calories are not created equal. Think of it this way… fat requires only two percent of your body’s energy to use it, carbohydrates require roughly 10% of that energy, whereas protein requires an astonishing 20% of your body’s energy to burn it… that means, by consuming more protein, you’re actually burning more calories each time you eat. (Yes, 20% of the calories in the protein are being burned just by eating it.) Plus, protein’s primary purpose is to provide the muscles with ample supplies of essential and nonessential 13


amino acids to rebuild the tiny tears in the muscle fibers. This process is known as protein synthesis. And amino acids, derived from proteins, are the building blocks for this process. Got it? So to increase the body’s metabolic rate and amino acid/protein turnover in the muscle cells, it’s imperative that you consume more protein (probably a lot more than you’re consuming now!). Research from leading authorities on protein shows us that right around one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (that is, the weight you want to weigh) or 30 to 35% of your daily caloric intake is adequate. This amount of protein is safe for supporting the metabolism and helping the body grow and maintain new muscle tissue. These proteins can be in the form of lean red meats, turkey, salmon, egg whites, protein powders, or nutrition shakes that contain whey and/or casein. So, in the example of our 175-lb man above, he would consume approximately 2,625 calories per day x 30% protein = 787 protein calories / 4 (calories per gram of protein) = 197 grams of protein per day. Carbohydrates, then, should be consumed in the range of no more than 50% to 55% of your daily intake, avoiding simple carbs like jams, jellies, fruit juices, most breads and cereals, etc., and completely limiting sugary or refined carbs like donuts, cakes, sodas, candies, ice creams, most sugar-containing drinks/beverages, etc., and incorporating plenty of fibrous carbs like broccoli, corn, brown rice, various fruits, etc. Scientific evidence has also shown that if we consume too many carbs (especially at one sitting), our bodies respond by causing a surge of insulin to be released. Insulin, a hormone, encourages muscle cells to take up more nutrients for storage, but unfortunately, it may also “transport” these excess carbs and fat to be stored. The good news is, by adding more protein to each meal, you’ll “buffer” this insulin secretion, actually slowing

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the rate of absorption of carbohydrates into the blood. And more good news... eating protein also kicks up another hormone called glucagon (think of it as insulin’s opposing hormone), which can offset the fatstoring ability of insulin by helping dispose of it before it stores more fat. And, new studies offer evidence that glucagon’s release in the body may further stimulate the fat-burning cycle by encouraging fat to be freed up and more easily used as energy. Using our previous example, 2,625 calories per day x 50% carbohydrates = roughly 1,312 carb calories / 4 (calories per gram of carb) = 328 grams of carbs per day. Fat, on the other hand, has the greatest propensity to be stored as fat. For that reason alone, it’s smart not to take in more than 15 to 20% dietary fat in any given day. However, when you’re attempting to build muscle, you also don’t want your fat levels too low. As science has revealed, this can cause testosterone and growth hormone levels to drop. For this reason, it’s fine to eat foods low in fat. It’s also a good idea to add some good fats to your diet. Fats known as essential fats. These can be found in the form of flax, safflower, olive, or borage oil. Rest assured, these fats will help rev up your ability to pack on muscle. But be careful. Fat is still easier to store as fat. Be cautious about how much of these oils you consume on a daily basis. So, when it comes to fats, our 175-lb man would consume 2,625 calories per day x 15% fats = roughly 394 fat calories / 9 (calories per gram of fat) = 44 grams of fat per day. Keep this in mind: Missing your required proteins, carbs, and fats by a few grams here and there won’t hurt your chances of muscle-building success. So don’t stress over being exact. But skipping meals and following a haphazard approach to eating will instantly stop your muscle gains.

…one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (that is, the weight you want to weigh) or 30 to 35% of your daily caloric intake is adequate.

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Law 3

GRAZE—EAT MORE FREQUENTLY

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THE KEY WITH NUTRITION TO PACK ON MORE MUSCLE IS TO WORK WITH YOUR BODY, NOT AGAINST IT. To eat smart and more, not careless and less. If you eat the “right” types of foods, in the “right” amounts, at various times throughout the day, science has indicated your body will absorb and assimilate more of the foods you eat, and your body’s biochemical processes will become more efficient, which includes the ability to turn over more protein/amino acids to help rebuild muscle tissue faster. This is precisely what you want! To do this, you need to spread your meals more evenly throughout the day, in five or six smaller meals, rather than two or three large meals (or an overindulgence in high-sugar/high-fat snacks whenever you’re hungry). See, science has shown that you can maximize the food’s absorption (so your body can use more of it); supply your body with a more stable (non-spiking) level of insulin—levels your body can adequately manage—and increase the amount of available amino acids that will steadily increase your body’s ability to build muscle throughout the day. Meal frequency, or meal patterning, is really as simple www.TheMuscleSystem.com

as it sounds—it’s about timing your meals. Here are the rules: never go more than a few hours (two to three hours, while you’re awake) without eating a meal. This includes starting the day with a well-balanced, moderately low-fat, protein- and carb-containing meal. (That’s why skipping breakfast, or any meal for that matter, is so damaging to our muscle-building efforts… because along with you, your muscles have just fasted for eight hours or so (depending on how many hours you’ve slept), and they’re literally starving for nutrients. And, if your muscles aren’t fed soon enough, they will begin to enter a stage known as catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue. (This is the absolute worst possible state to be in! You want to avoid this at all costs!) Yet, by feeding the body more regularly, you help convince it there is no deprivation, no famine around the corner…and as long as protein is present, you’ll remain in an anabolic (or muscle-building) state and continually rebuild muscle cells. On the following page is an example of what a typical day might look like, as far as your daily food intake (based on an average 175-lb man). 15


Here’s an example of what a day might look like as far as your food intake (again, based on an average 175-lb man) :

Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (7:00 a.m.) 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 25 2 142 6 egg whites (one whole egg) 24 6 6 180 1 cup of black coffee 0 0 0 5 (sweetened with Splenda®) 1 protein shake (e.g., Designer Protein) mixed with one banana and 10 oz of water 21 31 3 225 Meal Total 51 62 11 552 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 38 22 5 300 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 Meal Total 38 43 5 380 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) Two 4-oz chicken breasts 54 0 6 284 1 cup of brown rice 5 46 2 218 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 59 46 8 502 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese 28 6 2 163 1 large orange 1 17 0 69 10 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 29 23 2 232 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-Workout (5:00 p.m.) —1 Serving of H-Blocker 0 12.5 0 50 ——Workout——(5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)—— (6:45 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Supplement] 1________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ serving of 3-XL 0 10 0 40 Meal #5 (7:30 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Meal] 10 oz of pasta, cooked (egg enriched) 15 70 5 375 3.5 oz of lean ground beef (with tomato/pasta sauce) 27 12 19 330 Mixed green salad 0 0 14 119 (with one Tbs olive oil/vinegar dressing) 1 large apple 0 32 1 125 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 42 114 39 949 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1 protein shake (e.g., Designer Protein) or 8-oz Eat-Smart shake mixed with 8 oz of low-fat/sugar-free frozen yogurt and water

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41

3

320

Meal Total 28 41 3 320 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total

247 g

351.5 g

68 g

Daily Caloric % Total (approximate)

34%

46%

20%

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3,025



Law 4

REST MORE OFTEN

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SO YOU DON’T THINK TAKING TIME OFF FROM THE GYM FOR REST IS IMPORTANT, UH?! THINK AGAIN. This is one of the most overlooked secrets to building a more muscular body. If you don’t rest, you won’t grow. Only through enough rest (which includes proper sleep) and an adequate number of days away from the gym (in between training) will the body be able to recover and rebuild itself. In fact, too much training can actually hurt your body and keep you from growing at all. So how do you know if you are resting enough? Tough question, since everyone is different, and everyone has unique recovery times. But here’s a shot at it, based on the latest science and some good ol’ common sense. For adequate recovery times between your rigorous workouts (of the same muscle group), consider this: the more intense your workout (speed of workout), and/or the heavier the load (weight), the longer the recovery; and the higher the volume (i.e., the number of reps), and/or the smaller the muscle group, the faster the recovery (often within 48 hours), and vice versa of course. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

In general, most exercise physiology experts agree that you should not train a muscle group/body part if it’s still sore, and then once the soreness subsides, I say give it another day on top of that to fully recover. (Remember, we want our muscles completely recovered so we can flame-baste them the next time we hit the gym—this way, we’re sure they’ll grow back bigger and stronger!) One of the most common (and fatal) errors I see with weight trainers, both beginner and advanced alike, is over-training. Trapped by their “more is better” mentality, many of them seem to think if you train longer, harder, more often, you’ll multiply your results. Nothing could be further from the truth. And, nothing could be more detrimental to your efforts to pack on muscle and gain strength than training muscle groups too frequently. In fact, over-training can significantly impede the body’s ability to properly recover and rebuild itself. It also sets you up for fatigue, lethargy, deep tissue/muscle soreness, insomnia, and makes you more prone to injuries. (If you sense any of these symptoms coming on, try taking off a day or two more in between training sessions and see how you feel.) 17


And make no mistake about it, nothing is more important than a good night’s sleep… especially if you’re trying to build a muscular body! It’s best, if you can, to get anywhere from six to seven hours of sleep per night… and you might even try to catch a few “extra” hours of sleep on the weekends from time to time. Though not the required therapeutic dose of eight hours, you’ll likely find this is the optimal amount needed for your body to recover from the strenuous, exciting, hectic days of work and exercise. Any less, you might be a grouch. And, you’ve got to be smart enough to know (and feel) if your body has not fully recovered from the previous day. Remember, it is during the time when you’re not training, while recuperation and repair are taking place, that your muscles are actually growing stronger as well as larger. Studies have repeatedly shown that your body’s biological recovery processes—muscle repair and immune functioning—occur during nighttime sleep. But more importantly, these processes occur only during our deepest hours of sleep, which will be impeded or stop altogether if we shorten our resting hours. So, if you would like to put your body in the “maximum growth” zone, and make your muscles grow, then you absolutely, positively must get adequate rest between your weight-training days… and get plenty of zzz’s a night.

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…over-training can significantly impede the body’s ability to properly recover and rebuild itself.

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Law 5

DRINK MORE WATER… FILL YOUR M USCLES

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OK, SO YOU’RE EITHER SAYING TO YOURSELF, HERE’S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE “ALL-TOOCOMMON, COMMONSENSE” THINGS, or, what’s this guy talking about, “fill my muscles!”? Am I right? Well, let me explain...

intestines and kidneys use about six cups a day. That brings our total daily water usage to a whopping 10 cups or 80 oz just to live—not including the added water loss resulting from perspiration during any heavy weight training or cardiovascular exercise.

See, you’d be surprised by just how many musclebound guys (and gals) claim they drink “plenty” of water, but if you followed them around throughout the day, you’d find they take in less water than a dried-up Death Valley cactus. Any chance this sounds like you?

Think water isn’t important? Think again!

Sure, we all “know” we should drink plenty of water, but do you? Really? Pay careful attention for a day and see how much you drink. It’s probably safe to say you could use a drinking fountain close to your desk or you need a crash course on why water is so vitally important to your muscles, just to reignite your awareness.

As science has revealed (and you’ve probably heard this plenty of times already), our muscles are made up of 70 to 75% water. So it’s essential, make that imperative, that your muscles stay completely hydrated. Stay hydrated, and your muscles are sure to look fuller. Plus, get better pumps in the gym and, if your bodyfat is low enough, may appear more vascular. What’s more, water initiates a cascade of biochemical processes within the body that are essential for everything from digestion to enhanced energy levels.

Here are the facts (the amount of H20 your body requires, daily, just to “live”): the average person loses two cups (16 oz) of fluid through normal perspiration. Another two cups (now making a total 32 oz) are exhaled as water vapor during breathing. Together, the

But we’re not talking about drinking water when you’re thirsty. As you may know, thirst is a sign your body is already slightly dehydrated! Not staying fully hydrated is a common mistake made by many weight trainers and athletes. The importance of being properly


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hydrated for maximum muscle growth cannot be overstated. Why? Even a slightly dehydrated muscle can lead to significant deficits in muscular output, performance decrements, not to mention the risk of sickness and, in severe cases, even death. Even a three to four percent drop in body water levels (signaled by thirst and muscle fatigue) can decrease your muscular contractions by 10 to 20%. Put your body through this sort of dehydration consistently and you can forget about gaining muscle! Once again, a recent study presented at The Experimental Biology Conference confirmed that to combat dehydration, active people (those of us who engage in regular exercise) should drink at least 10 to 12 glasses (eight ounces each) of water (this doesn’t include tea, coffee, sodas, or juice) daily—always including during and after workouts or whenever your body is perspiring. Keeping your muscles hydrated and full will keep them recovering faster and keep your muscle gains on track in the gym.

“

…our muscles are made up of 70 to 75% water. So it’s essential, make that imperative, that your muscles stay completely hydrated.

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Law 6

INCORPORATE VARIETY INTO YOUR WORKOUTS

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IMAGINE IF YOU HAD TO EAT THE SAME THING FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER (and all your meals in between), each and every day. Or, what if you had to listen to the same Barry Manilow song over and over and over while driving in your car? B-o-r-i-n-g! Well, weight training is much the same. Keep doing the same workout over and over again, and your muscles are sure to get bored too. And when your muscles get bored, they don’t grow. Period. You need variety to continually stimulate your muscles. Ever wonder why when you start a new program, after about four to six weeks, you “hit a wall,” a sticking point where you just don’t seem to be making gains any more? Undoubtedly, lack of variety in the gym is one of the most common (and deadly) mistakes made by beginner and advanced weight trainers alike. And make no mistake, it will keep literally anyone from ever attaining their true potential for maximum muscle growth. See, as explained by stress expert Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome, the body goes through three distinct phases when confronted with a stress—which in www.TheMuscleSystem.com

our case includes the stress of lifting weights—where the body finally adapts, hits a point of staleness, and stops responding to the stimulus (or responds in a very limited way at most). Basically, in the last phase, the body has completely adapted to the exercises and ceases to improve. This is oftentimes referred to as a plateau or sticking point. Take the bench press, for example. When you first start doing bench presses, you’re likely to make significant gains quickly. Yet you’ll notice that after routinely performing this exercise for a month or so, your gains will be smaller than they were originally, despite your best efforts to work out harder or longer. Soon, you’ll find yourself hitting a plateau. Why? Your muscles work in tandem with the nervous system. Each time you lift a weight, you generate a stimulus within your central nervous system. Your muscle fibers then receive nerve impulses, and the muscle contracts. Repeat the same lift over and over, and eventually the nervous system/muscle connection begins to adapt until the impulses recruit less and less muscle fibers. Thus, your body basically goes into “sleep” mode while 21


you perform that exercise. (Not literally, but you get the point.) This is why you need to mix things up—add variety—which stimulates the muscles and nervous system. When this happens, the muscles are kept alert, in a constant state of shock, which keeps the muscles paying attention and in a never-ending grow, grow, grow phase! So how do you add variety to your workouts? Simple. As Harley Pasternak, M.Sc., ACSM exercise physiologist, explains in his now famous Multi-Variable Training (MVT) program… “to keep your gains continual, and bust through plateaus, you need to constantly change it up: add more weight (the most common way), change the number of repetitions or sets, mix up your exercises, the order you do them in, and the days you work out, the time (rest) between sets, concentrating on the negative (eccentric) versus the positive (concentric) part of the lift, change the sequence of exercises, or change the exercise itself, such as performing chest exercises with dumbbells instead of a barbell or incline bench instead of a flat bench. There are so many variables (new stimulus) to choose from. The key is, after you feel you’ve hit a plateau, to just pick one variable and change it for a workout, then another the next workout, and so on.” The bottom line, once you “hit the wall” (usually after four to six weeks of following the same routine) and your muscles aren’t getting any stronger, break away from the same old, same old routine and try something new on your next workout. You’ll keep your workouts interesting and build muscle much faster. Isn’t that what you want from your training program?

“”

…when your muscles get bored, they don’t grow. Period. You need variety to continually stimulate your muscles.

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Law 7

USE A PROVEN MUSCLEBUILDING SUPPLEMENT

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IF YOU WANT TO GAIN MUSCLE MASS, FAST, you know it isn’t going to happen if you follow some lame training routine out of a popular “fitness” magazine. Only a proven method of training will work. So why would you take a chance with your supplements? Sure, you could try one of those highly touted supplements like HMB, CLA, DHEA, or one of those new fad supplements like myostatin, methylated pro-steroids, AAKG nitric oxide boosters, or whatever else. But, for the majority of these, there’s not a single shred of scientific evidence they could grow a new hair on a mouse’s back (let alone new muscle.) As a result, the consensus for these supplements is hardly unanimous. Wouldn’t you rather use a supplement that’s been proven by the scientific community to produce the type of results you’re after? (Of course you would!) One supplement, creatine, has been almost universally accepted by leading performance-nutrition experts because it’s been shown to effectively enhance muscle size and strength in over 500 clinical studies. Combined with intense weight training and a diet full of highwww.TheMuscleSystem.com

quality nutrients, this supplement may help you finally blast your muscle growth through the roof by limiting the time it takes your muscles to recover and re-grow— a process known as protein synthesis. Creatine’s been shown in the lab and the real world to produce measurable results in lean body mass size and strength. You may be thinking, “Creatine? That stuff’s been around since the early 1990’s… What’s so special about it now?” Well, remember in the beginning of this book, I mentioned that sometimes you have to go back to the “basics” to be successful? Creatine is just such a fundamental part of your Program for gaining mass. In fact, ask 10 guys in the gym with any amount of muscle mass on their bodies, and more than three-quarters of them will tell you they’re using some form of creatine daily. But wait. A lot of advancements have been made in supplementation when it comes to creatine. First, there were different forms of creatine… citrate, titrate, etc. Unfortunately, there was never any real, solid research that showed any of them were superior to the most wellresearched form, monohydrate. Then there were novel delivery methods, like effervescent, but these tasted like 23


battery acid and made your gut rot. Then came the highsugar (typically dextrose) creatine cocktails. Just what the body needs—tons of empty calories that are more likely to build up fat than muscle. No thanks! This brings me to the most exciting part of Law Number 7… if there’s one thing I love about the business I’m in (besides helping people achieve their goals), it’s that every time you develop a new product and release it to the marketplace, it’s essentially a version .9. And version 1.0 is chomping at its heels, eagerly awaiting its introduction. This has been the case with Meta-CEL. Our trademark creatine monohydrate/Inzitol® formula, co-developed with “Mr. Creatine” himself, Anthony Alamda, after our initial clinical study, which was released back in May of 2003. Make no mistake: when we develop a new supplement at iSatori, we use every shred of evidence we can find to create the most innovative, researchdriven product possible. But scientific research is revealing new information every day on supplements. This research is at the epic-center of the performance enhancement and bodybuilding industry. It is what drives companies like ours to continually experiment, tinker with, guinea pig, and explore all of these new possibilities. Knowing full well that some will work out, while most will not. Thankfully, with trial and exploration, you sometimes do stumble on newly designed supplements that are worthy of further experimentation. One such supplement has become a new form of creatine called creatine ethyl ester. Creatine ethyl ester (or CEE as it’s commonly called) is basically creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. In essence, esters are organic compounds that are formed by esterification, which is the reaction of carboxylic acid and alcohols. If this sounds a little technical, just hang in there. This is where it gets really exciting…

“

See, we all know that regular creatine monohydrate has been shown to effectively increase lean body mass; strength; and athletic, anaerobic performance. But what you may not know is a new study has shown esterfied creatine can exert its positive effects above and beyond regular creatine monohydrate. The really exciting news is that with CEE, you can experience positive effects with lower dosages because it penetrates target cells more efficiently via a different transporter than the monohydrate form. So, apparently, no “loading” or “cycling” is required—just a single dose a day does the trick. And, there seems to be two other important benefits: CEE appears to work relatively well for most creatine “non-responders,” and there doesn’t appear to be any extra-cellular water retention with CEE, which causes the infamous “creatine bloat.” Pretty cool stuff, isn’t it?! This new form of creatine appears to produce far superior results than regular creatine monohydrate. True, this information is mostly from anecdotal reports… But, I’ve tried it and am a firm believer that it works faster, better, and more easily than any other form of creatine or sugar-loaded formula I’ve ever tried… leading to fuller, larger, harder-looking muscles… in less time! Using this latest research on CEE and working with two of the leading creatine researchers, we developed TM a new supplement called 3-XL . 3-XL is our 1.0—our newest generation of creatine supplementation, building on the strength of Meta-CEL, our version .9. If you liked Meta-CEL, in my humble opinion, you’re going to think 3-XL kicks serious butt. Think of 3-XL as Meta-CEL with a new, updated engine and turbochargers. It’s that much more powerful! I’d strongly encourage you to consider adding a proven musclebuilding supplement like 3-XL to the nutrition and workout regimen I’ve outlined in MAXIMUM GROWTH. You won’t be disappointed.

Think of 3-XL as MetaCEL with a new, updated engine and turbochargers.

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Law 8

TRAIN BRUTALLY INTENSELY

W WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT YOU COULD EASILY GET THREE TIMES THE PROGRESS (from your current workouts) with half the time in your gym? Sound impossible? It’s not! It’s called “intensity.” Either you’ve got it, or you don’t. That doesn’t mean you can’t, however, learn how to be much more intense and turn your routines into gut-busting, electrifying, resultsproducing workouts. In fact, once you apply intensity to your workouts, you’ll trigger more muscle growth in the first four weeks than you probably ever have before… with only four workouts a week (at just 30 to 45 minutes each)! Here’s how… First, spend less time chit-chatting. Idle gym gossiping between sets is a big no-no. To keep your intensity high, you should be resting no more than 45 to 120 seconds between sets (depending on the size of the body part of course—legs would require a little more time, whereas biceps might require only 30 to 45 seconds). But notice I said “a little more time.” How many times have you seen guys sitting around between sets talking, walking by the cardio machines to check out the women, or sitwww.TheMuscleSystem.com

ting on a bench wrapping their knees, getting themselves psyched up for their next set? Heck, on many occasions, I’ve walked in the gym, performed my entire workout, and left while some guy is still sitting on the same bench press on his eighth or ninth set. Look, the fact is, about 90% of all weight trainers (this might include you right now) spend their entire lives struggling like this in the gym. Second, remember when I said you can’t build new, stronger muscle fibers unless you damage these fibers… well, damage doesn’t come in the form of wimping out at the end of your sets. You want to “push” yourself beyond your limits to cause serious damage to those muscle fibers. And you can do this on each and every set by simply following this rule: “When you can’t do any more repetitions, do two more!” Push yourself to exhaustion on every set. Say you’re shooting for ten reps, and you hit it… what are you stopping for? Push through your pain barrier and crank out a couple more reps. Even if you don’t have a person spotting you, just do partial reps. Anything. Just get two more. During these “extra” reps, 25


you will separate yourself from all others and pass them all up in record time! You’ll grow so fast, you’ll begin to scare your workout partner. Last, the shortest route to massive, unlimited muscle growth is to stick to the basic, “hard-core” exercises. Like barbell rows or deadlifts for that v-shaped back; barbell squats for those massive, sweeping thighs; bench presses for a thick, powerful-looking chest. And that goes for the smaller muscle groups too. Don’t be afraid to do heavy barbell curls for your biceps or heavy military presses for your shoulders. Most guys never discover a routine that will give them the constant, sustained growth they desire. That’s because any program that simply skips out on the basic, fundamental “maximum growth” exercises is horribly incomplete—it ignores all of the lifts (like squats and deadlifts) that signal the body to send surges of growthboosting hormones and cause you to grow—to gain both size and muscle. You know, in your heart, this is true. Yet, most of the time you might want to skip over these “hardcore” lifts because they seem too difficult. Some guys will flounder like this for years. Don’t be one of them. For the most brutally intense physical workouts you’ve ever felt in your life, give the high-intensity method a try… it will instantly trigger new muscle growth—guaranteed!

“”

…’push’ yourself beyond your limits to cause serious damage to those muscle fibers.

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Law 9

CONSUME CARBS AND PROTEIN DURING YOUR “OPEN WINDOW”

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SCIENCE SHOWS THAT YOU NEED TO EAT TO MAXIMIZE YOUR WEIGHT-TRAINING MUSCLE GAINS! That’s a fact. Unfortunately, too many of us think nutrition is some sort of “exact science” and that it’s complex. It’s really not. In fact, it’s quite simple… I already informed you in Laws #2 and #3 to eat more calories more often. Now just remember this one additional “secret,” and you can’t go wrong. Are you ready? Here it goes… Go straight home to your kitchen following your workout and eat yourself a high-carbohydrate, moderately high protein meal or meal-replacement shake. Now I’m sure that doesn’t seem like “magic” or a true “secret,” but make no mistake about it, my friend, if you miss this vitally important meal, you might as well toss aside your muscle-building dreams and forget about increasing your strength. Let me explain. There’s strong scientific evidence to suggest that right after you get done training, your body (and muscle cells) are starving for nutrients. They’re ready to suck up literally anything you put into them, and then some. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

This timeframe is called your “open window,” and it lasts only about 30 to 60 minutes after you train. After that, you can pretty much forget about it. My theory on this controversial subject goes well beyond “post-workout recovery,” as the medical community refers to it, though. We are talking about slamming an over-abundance of muscle-building nutrients right into your muscle cells and keeping them there for full muscle-volumizer effects and speedier muscle-tissue repair and recovery. I’ll explain more on this in a minute. But for starters, we can achieve this by consuming a meal or a meal-replacement shake that contains a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein. Now, this is where some “experts” are probably going to argue with me (suggesting it should be more like 4:1), but I’ll concur with the latest scientific theory, which clearly shows the 3:1 ratio is most optimal for postworkout recovery. In fact, a recent study at the Exercise Physiology and Metabolism Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin clearly proved that a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein significantly raised muscle glycogen levels immediately after intense exercise. 27


Now, here’s where most guys would just slam down a “recovery drink” or gorge on a giant bowl of pasta and consider that “good enough.” But, since you’re reading this report and because you want a body that loudly advertises the commitment you’ve made to yourself (and you’re not going to settle for “good enough”), I’ll let you in on another little secret: that type of thinking is dead wrong! See, you’ve got to pay careful attention to the type of carbs and type of protein you consume (within this 3:1 ratio). This is extremely important.

Here’s what a good post-workout meal should look like: • Around 75 to 90 grams of carbohydrates (an even mixture of high and low glycemic). • Anywhere from 25 to 30 grams of protein. That’s it! That’s all you need to take advantage of the all-important “open-window” for maximum growth.

Let’s look at carbs first. Half of your carbs should come in the form of what’s called low-glycemic and the other half in higher glycemic carbs. Typically, this means you’d try and consume a starchy carb, something like brown rice, a yam, or oatmeal (low-glycemic) combined with a sugary-carb, such as a piece of fruit, like a banana or apple. So why the half-half carb? Well, I won’t bore you with all the details, but here’s the down and dirty… too many high-glycemic carbs can cause a sudden, uncontrollable rush of insulin in the body (whereas low-glycemic carbs do not cause such an unstable rush of insulin). Too much insulin, while semianabolic, and you quickly create an environment to store all of those “extra” calories as bodyfat. Clearly, this is not what we want. It’s for this reason I recommend not eating more than half high-glycemic carbs. You especially want to avoid those dreaded fat-storing carbs like sugar and dextrose. Next, let’s take a close look at the types of protein you want to consume. I’d stick to the purest forms of wholefood, low-fat proteins you can find. This might include chicken breasts, very lean red meat, tuna, salmon, or egg whites. Or, if you opt for a protein drink or mealreplacement shake instead, look for one that contains a good, high-quality protein blend of milk proteins, caseinates, and whey concentrate and/or isolates.

“”

…consume a meal or a mealreplacement shake that contains a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein…following your workout.

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Law 10

USE THIS “ALMOST-SECRET”SUPPLEMENT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT

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NEW MUSCLE GROWTH. IT’S WHAT WE ALL TRAIN FOR, RIGHT? But, if it’s been a while since someone has complimented you on your “muscular size”… And you’re still anxiously trying to build an impressive chest... head-turning arms... or at least the type of muscular size that “shows,” so people can definitely tell you work out… Then today’s your lucky day. Because I got my hands on an all-new science in muscular performance. It’s been tested in small pilot studies with a select group of weight trainers. And it’s recently been rigorously tested in two clinical studies, using well-trained bodybuilders, and it faired extraordinarily well. It’s called H-Blocker™. Formulated with a patent-pending hydrogen-binder/ pH-stabilizing nutrient matrix, H-Blocker is already helping a growing number of serious bodybuilders and weight trainers like you get harder, tighter, and stronger looking physiques due to its extraordinary actions— that take effect almost immediately. Technically known as carnosine... and synthesized in www.TheMuscleSystem.com

our bodies from beta-alanine and L-histidine... The newly formulated H-Blocker features a brand new class of agents (carnosine synthesizers) that are designed to drastically affect the muscular contraction, fullness, workload capacity, and growth of fast-twitch muscle fibers. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning indicated that carnosine is preferentially found in fast-twitch (Type IIx) muscle fibers in humans. Basically, fast-twitch fibers are the muscle fibers that have the potential to make you “super-human.” They’re the muscle fibers athletes need to set world records in track and field events like sprinting and powerlifting... they’re the fibers that have the capacity to grow beyond your wildest imagination... they’re the fibers every athlete (especially those of us who are serious about training with weights) wish we had lots more of. The good new is fast-twitch muscle fibers have a much greater potential for muscle growth than Type I fibers or slow-twitch fibers. The bad news, though, is most of us have more slow-twitch than fast-twitch muscle fibers. And unfortunately, only a very small percentage of us 29


who take up weight lifting to build muscle mass are born with lots of these fibers. Enough of them to matter, anyway. Sadly, there’s nothing you and I can do to alter our ratio of slow- and fast-twitch fibers. But, here’s some incredible news... while H-Blocker cannot “alter” your genetics, it can “enhance” your genetics, making it easier to build muscular strength and size. Here’s why... With the patent-pending nutrient matrix found only in H-Blocker, we can “blast” the heck out of the existing fast-twitch fibers we do have... In other words, by supplying our bodies with the nutrients to synthesize carnosine, we can preferentially direct the intracellular actions toward the muscles that have the greatest capacity for greater contractions, fullness, workload capacity, and growth! Because of this revolutionary breakthrough...in my humble opinion, H-Blocker will quickly become the standard by which all physique development supplements are held. Let’s take a look at how H-Blocker, and its ability to synthesize carnosine, works. See, it is well known that increased muscle mass, strength, and extended muscular performance occur in the most effective manner when exercise routines are done to complete exhaustion. Unfortunately, during intense exercise, the release of hydrogen ions are accelerated, followed by a decrease in pH levels—a process called “muscular acidosis”—which is directly associated with muscle fatigue, weakness, and ultimately exhaustion. Commonly referred to as “muscle failure.” New research indicates, however, that taking a serving of H-Blocker before you work out (approximately 20 to 30 minutes before you hit the gym) rapidly aids in the synthesis of carnosine, which binds to hydrogen ions and stabilizes pH levels in skeletal muscles… thereby delaying muscular fatigue. As a result, the total

“”

amount of actual workload and intensity you normally train at now dramatically increases. In other words, H-Blocker provides you with more work capacity... which equals more reps and more sets in every workout. More sets at a higher intensity with less fatigue and faster recovery (both after sets and between workouts). And that, my friend, means more muscular growth and more strength, at the cellular and plasma level. Something else equally exciting is that you will feel the muscle-intensifying effects of H-Blocker from the very first time you take it. Seriously. Before you even walk into the gym, you will immediately start to generate a feeling of electricity flowing through your veins… So get ready for the absolute best, most intense, skinsplitting workouts of your life...guaranteed. Now, don’t get overly anxious here... even though you will certainly feel the effects of H-Blocker after the first time you take it... keep in mind, significant carnosine storage in your muscle cells—enough to impart its full benefits—can (and will) only be achieved after at least three weeks of continuous use. But you will add new, solid muscular bodyweight after a couple of weeks and more strength to your max lifts than you ever imagined! The best news yet: studies show that, unlike other supplements (like creatine monohydrate for instance), as long as you keep using H-Blocker, you will continue to make gains. Now that, my friend, is worth the investment alone. So if you are ready to get in on the “ground floor” of something truly exciting—a revolutionary new supplement that’s expected to eclipse the phenomenon of creatine… Then you need to add this exciting, new pre-workout carnosine synthesizer, H-Blocker, to your Program. Believe me, once you do, you will never train again without it.

…as long as you keep using H-Blocker, you will continue to make gains.

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Overview A SUMMARY OF THE 10 SECRET LAWS

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GRANTED, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GAIN MUSCLE SIZE AND STRENGTH, but the tips described in this Special Report constitute a unified set of “core essentials” needed to achieve success when it comes to packing on rock-hard muscle mass, fast. Ask any expert in the field of muscular performance or nutritional sciences, and they’ll likely agree with at least nine of the ten items laid out in this report. So now you can stop imagining what life would be like with a bigger, stronger, more powerful-looking physique and start achieving it. (Believe me, if you follow this report for at least 30 days, you’re sure to get noticed!) So what are you waiting for? Don’t be left behind. To recap, here are the 10 secret laws to gain strength and build the most solid muscle (despite any rotten genetics, sloppy proportions, or measly budget):


1) TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS 2) EAT MORE CALORIES, ESPECIALLY PROTEIN 3) EAT FREQUENTLY 4) REST MORE OFTEN 5) DRINK MORE WATER... TO FILL YOUR MUSCLES! 6) INCORPORATE VARIETY INTO YOUR WORKOUTS 7) USE A PROVEN, SCIENTIFICALLY SUPPORTED MUSCLE-BUILDING SUPPLEMENT 8) TRAIN BRUTALLY INTENSELY! 9) CONSUME CARBS AND PROTEIN DURING YOUR “OPEN WINDOW” 10) USE H-BLOCKER IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT

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The Supplements MY TOP THREE SUPPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

3-XL™

Creatine Ethyl Ester Formula Let me get straight to the point: 3-XL is, without a doubt, the most advanced creatine supplement on the market. Especially if you’re trying to gain pure, solid lean body mass, without any fat weight. 3-XL is engineered to improve the absorption and retention of creatine, using a novel form of creatine ethyl ester hydrochloride or CEE as it’s commonly called. CEE is basically creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. Esters are organic compounds that are formed by esterification, which is the reaction of carboxylic acid and alcohols. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

According to an in-vitro study, and some very promising anecdotal reports, CEE appears to be a giant leap ahead of its counterpart, creatine monohydrate, when it comes to absorbing and retaining creatine in the muscle. See, we all know regular creatine monohydrate has been shown to effectively increase lean body mass, strength, and athletic/anaerobic performance. But what you may not know is that a new study has shown that esterfied creatine can exert its positive effects above and beyond regular creatine monohydrate. On top of that, the really exciting news is that with CEE you can experience positive effects with lower dosages. Apparently there is no “loading” or “cycling” required, and at least anecdotally, CEE appears to work relatively well for most creatine “non-responders.” What’s more, there doesn’t appear to be any extra-cellular water retention with CEE, which causes the infamous “creatine bloat.” Pretty cool stuff, isn’t it?! Using this latest research on CEE, we took it upon ourselves to work with two leading creatine researchers to develop 3-XL. Building on the strength of Meta-CEL— our original creatine delivery supplement, which we co-developed with Mr. Creatine himself, Anthony 33

MAXIMUM GROWTH | THE SUPPLEMENTS

Almada. Make no mistake. If you liked Meta-CEL, in my humble opinion, you are going to absolutely love 3-XL. Think of 3-XL as Meta-CEL with a new, updated engine and turbochargers… that will blast your muscles into overdrive. Yeah… It’s that much more powerful! For the reasons I’ve just stated, I switched from using Meta-CEL to 3-XL. When I am training to pack on muscle mass, fast… and when I want to obtain that full, hard look, I drink one serving (a heaping scoop) of 3-XL every day. Most importantly, I always, always, always take a serving right after my workouts—whether it’s weight training or cardio exercise. Because I know my body is ready to use every single milligram of 3-XL I put into it. You’ll be glad to know that 3-XL comes in two delicious flavors: Orange Blast and Fruit Punch, and I’ll shamelessly say they taste exactly like Orange Tang® and Kool-Aid®. No kidding. Here are some of the important highlights you’ll want to know about 3-XL: 3-XL delivers immediate and impressive results. Although it’s impossible to say exactly how much muscle size and strength each person will gain from using 3-XL—obviously, as individuals differ, so will results— it’s not unheard of for individuals to experience immediate strength gains, muscle fullness, and noticeable lean body mass gains within the first five days. More notably, though, unlike conventional creatine monohydrate, which has to be “loaded” and then “cycled,” 3-XL can be used continuously, allowing users to continue to experience results for as long as they use the supplement. How great is that?! 3-XL, the most advanced creatine formula ever developed. Using only the purest esterfied form of creatine (creatine ethyl ester hydrochloride), combined with these two other forms of creatine, monohydrate and di-creatine malate—formulated in our proprietary Tri-STRENGTH Creatine Complex™—3-XL is engineered to improve the effects of creatine and eliminate the unwanted, common “side effects” of conventional creatine forms. In other words, with 3-XL, you can expect: • Creatines to transport faster and more efficiently (up to 10 times faster) because of their lipopholic abilities. (They use fat more efficiently to permeate the cell wall and exert its effects on cellular function.) • No “loading” required because more of the creatine 34

is absorbed, and the optimal dose needs to be taken only once daily. • Typically, creatine ethyl ester works for most creatine “non-responders” (the three or four out of every ten people who do not respond to creatine monohydrate). • Virtually no water retention outside of the target muscle cells, thereby eliminating the infamous “creatine bloat,” so you won’t experience any extra-cellular water or puffiness. And we didn’t stop there. Di-arginine malate was added to the Tri-STRENGTH Creatine Complex as a natural biological precursor for nitric oxide to aid in the delivery of creatine and improve blood flow and nutrient delivery and partitioning. 3-XL also contains a precise blend of histidine, carbohydrates, sodium, and chloride to aid in the rapid transport of the nutrients through the gut (for easy digestion) and into the muscular plasma to enhance creatine absorption and storage even more. 3-XL is guaranteed to help increase muscular size, strength, and hardness, or you don’t pay a red penny. That’s right. Just like all of the supplements we sell at iSatori, we’re so confident of the type of results you’ll experience with 3-XL, we offer an “iron-clad, noquestions-asked” guarantee. That is, your first purchase of 3-XL, ordered direct, is backed by an unconditional money-back guarantee. Which means if, for whatever reason, after you’ve tried 3-XL for a full 30 days (I’d like you to give it a fair chance and use the entire container), you aren’t completely satisfied with your results, simply return the used container, along with your original receipt, within 60 days of your initial purchase, for a complete refund of the entire purchase price. That means, there’s absolutely no risk to you. However, I have a strong hunch that once you combine 3-XL with the MAXIMUM GROWTH Program, you will be overthe-moon thrilled with your results. Now, the only question left is how badly do you want it… more muscle, strength, popularity, respect… everything that comes with a more muscular, well-defined physique? But, you have to make the most of every workout on this Program, and that's where 3-XL comes in. Within one week, you'll experience greater muscular fullness, crush your current training plateaus, and carry a "pump" around the gym that makes other guys seethe with envy. Now that's RESPECT!



but it could literally alter our muscular makeup so our muscles would “act” more like the fibers that have the ability to grow beyond our wildest dreams—the Type IIx fibers. Suddenly I knew for certain carnosine boosting truly was the next great breakthrough in sports supplementation and that my company had to develop the standard-setting product in this exciting, new category. Six months later, our patent-pending supplement, called H-Blocker™, went to market. It would become the world’s absolute first carnosine synthesizer. Formulated with Dr. Tallon, H-Blocker is, hands down, the most effective muscle-building supplement ever created, based on a whole new science in muscular performance. And that’s not just hype. Make no mistake, the science backs up this claim 100%. Studies have shown that with carnosine-boosting supplementation, you will experience seven key benefits:

H-Blocker™

A New Science in Muscular Performance Over 13 years ago, creatine was introduced to the sports supplementation world. And let’s face it, this substance forever changed supplementation for athletes, bodybuilders, and pretty much anyone who worked out with weights, wanting to develop a better looking body. But, as crazy as it sounds, this is nothing compared to what I’m about to share with you…

• • • •

Immediate, explosive strength and power gains Increased training intensity and workload capacity Faster recovery between reps, sets, and workouts Increased hypertrophy (muscle building), through the influence of Type IIx muscle fibers • Improved peak muscular contractions and enhanced muscle fullness • Reversed muscle decline and “shrinkage,” due to oxidation, which occurs between workouts • Greater performance and fat-burning capacity in high-intensity cardio intervals

It all started when I attended a presentation by Dr. Mark Tallon, an applied nutritional chemist from England, at an annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) in San Diego, CA. Dr. Tallon was sharing the results of a new study he had done on the distribution of carnosine in different muscle fiber types with supplementation.

By now you’re probably curious to know more about carnosine, H-Blocker, and how it achieves such exciting benefits. Frankly, the answers are not simple. It took me a year to understand how it all works, and you, too, will need a brief education in carnosine before we can move on to explain the benefits of H-Blocker and what you can expect from supplementing with it. But first, let me set the record straight by saying…

From reading some research on animals, I already knew carnosine is a naturally occurring compound in muscles that helps them resist fatigue at high intensities. I also knew professional bodybuilders and elite athletes in strength, speed, and power sports have much higher levels of carnosine—especially in their “fast-twitch” Type IIx fibers—than the average person. Now I learned that with the right supplementation, everyday men and women, like you and me, could greatly increase the carnosine concentration in muscle fibers. This could not only dramatically enhance our muscular performance,

H-Blocker was developed by leading carnosine researcher, Dr. Mark Tallon. Unlike many self-appointed “experts” in the field of performance-enhancement supplements, who have no real doctorate degree yet call themselves “researchers” or “chemists”… Dr. Mark Tallon is the first person in the world to earn a doctoral degree in carnosine metabolism (from Southhampton University in England). Dr. Tallon works with Olympic athletes as a nutritional consultant and is an IronMan triathlete himself. To say the least, this guy is brilliant and a true student of the


35


sports field. Using his latest groundbreaking research as a basis for carnosine synthesis, he helped our research team at iSatori formulate H-Blocker. It’s a product that’s a true labor of love and one that, in our humble opinions, will quickly eclipse the popularity of virtually any muscle-building supplement in the coming year. H-Blocker, the world’s first carnosine synthesizer. When I first sat down with Dr. Tallon to discuss the possibility of collaborating to develop a carnosine-boosting supplement, I made it clear to him that my goal was not just to produce the first carnosine-boosting supplement. I wanted to produce the best possible carnosineboosting supplement! Being the first would mean nothing to me if someone else came up with a better formula one year—or even 10 years—later. So I asked Tallon to put the full extent of his carnosine knowledge into creating a formula no one else could match (or copy, because it would be patent-worthy). Tallon came through in a big way, and we introduced the world’s first carnosine-synthesizer supplement formulation—H-Blocker. And you know what? I have a strong hunch that a few years from now, most athletes, bodybuilders, and general fitness enthusiasts interested in muscular development will know all about carnosine. The word will be out that boosting carnosine stores in the muscles is one of, if not the most potent ways to enhance muscle performance. It will be common knowledge that taking a carnosine-boosting supplement, such as H-Blocker, will increase muscle carnosine stores far beyond the levels achievable without supplementation. Consequently, carnosine supplementation will be even more popular than creatine supplements are now. Today, however, only a fraction of athletes and exercisers has ever heard of carnosine. And even among those well-informed men and women who have heard of carnosine, very few understand the revolutionary importance of recent discoveries related to carnosine and muscle performance—discoveries that will reshape the future of muscular development. So count yourself fortunate: by reading this book, and using H-Blocker, you will afford yourself the opportunity to be among the very first weight trainers to enjoy the remarkable benefits of the recent carnosine breakthrough. Blast through training plateaus, the very first day you use H-Blocker! 36

The primary job of carnosine—a special di-peptide composed of beta-alanine and histidine—in the muscles is to counteract one of the main causes of muscle fatigue during high-intensity exercise: “muscular acidosis.” By increasing the concentration of carnosine in your muscles through supplementation, you will be able to delay muscular acidosis longer and consequently complete more high-intensity training before reaching complete muscular exhaustion. (In other words, you’ll be able to perform more sets or reps with a given weight and more or longer intervals at a given intensity.) But, just imagine having a sponge that basically roams around the muscle, soaking up fatigue-causing hydrogen ions, stabilizing the decline in pH, and delaying the inevitable onset of muscular fatigue. That’s exactly what carnosine does. As a result, you can work out longer, harder, and with much more force and intensity. Simply stated, by using H-Blocker, the total workload and intensity you normally train at will now dramatically increase… Allowing you to get stronger, bigger, and faster than you could ever imagine. Quite possibly, the best part about H-Blocker is you’ll feel the muscle-stimulating effects from the very first dose. I absolutely love using it before I weight train. I simply mix the Fruit Punch-flavored powdered drink mix with about eight ounces of water and gulp it down 20 or so minutes before I plan to work out. Within about five minutes, I begin to feel like there’s electricity flowing through my veins. By the time I start working out, my muscles feel fuller, the contractions from lifting the weights are much more intense, and best of all… I really enjoy turning heads in the gym because of the immediate, explosive strength gains I experience… that help me reach a new personal best on almost every new workout. Once you train with H-Blocker, you will never, ever want to train again without it! It’s that powerful. If you’re anything like me and find you’re a bit of a skeptic, continually seeking to get to the bottom of things, I’d invite you to read my most recent book—H-Blocker: The Carnosine Breakthrough! It’s available at most GNC’s and will help you learn more about carnosine and truly understand how it works, as well as read, firsthand, all about the studies that support carnosine. If, for some strange reason, you can't find a copy at a nearby supplement retailer, please give my company a call, and we'll send you one for free. You can reach us anytime by calling 1-866-688-7679. (Ask for Dept. #2183.) www.TheMuscleSystem.com


replacement nutrition shake available. But don’t be fooled, EAT-SMART is more than your typical, “run-ofthe-mill” meal replacement—much more! Here are some of the highlights:

Eat-Smart ®

The World’s “Perfect” Meal Supplement! For me, EAT-SMART provides a convenient, costeffective way to replace literally any meal throughout the day... like lunch or an in-between meal. You can even use EAT-SMART as your post-workout “meal” like I do. I typically use EAT-SMART to replace at least three meals a day. Others agree with me when I say that EAT-SMART is truly the “best-tasting,” most complete mealwww.TheMuscleSystem.com

EAT-SMART is full of flavor—eight sinfully delicious flavors and counting. See, with EAT-SMART, for the first time ever, thanks to a proprietary/patented flavor technology, you can choose from a wide assortment of our outrageously delicious, even sinful flavors... that taste like Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Strawberry Cheesecake, Cinnamon Roll, Banana Cream Pie, Double Vanilla Ice Cream, and Iced Mocha Latté. Think of it as... any flavor, anytime!! No more plain old chocolate and boring vanilla. Imagine that! EAT-SMART is so quick and easy to make. EAT-SMART is “instantized” so it mixes instantly and easily... for a perfect milkshake-like taste in less than a minute. To make an EAT-SMART shake, all you do is simply scoop your desired amount of powder into a blender or shaker cup with water or skim milk, blend it 37


up, and serve. It’s really as simple as that! The best part might just be that you get to choose the size shake you want to make (eight or 16 oz). EAT-SMART is thick, rich, creamy, and satisfying. EAT-SMART is the only meal supplement that contains Nutrim™—the all-natural heart-healthy oat complex that is clinically proven to satisfy your hunger and make you feel fuller, longer (for up to three hours), and more importantly, stabilize your blood sugar levels and lower your cholesterol. Finally, you don’t have to worry about being hungry 20 minutes after you drink one of those thin, watery shakes... Thankfully, EAT-SMART has a thick, rich, creamy milkshake-like texture. So, no more hunger cravings.

All things considered, I have a strong hunch that once you try our new EAT-SMART meal supplement and taste one of our scrumptious, “dessert-like” flavors, you’ll never think about using another meal replacement or protein powder brand—ever again! But, you have to try it first to believe me.

EAT-SMART is stomach friendly and easy to digest. EAT-SMART contains probiotics and special enzymes to help fully absorb the proteins. Plus, EAT-SMART is 97% lactose free. Just think: Never again will you have to experience (and endure) the usual cramps, bloating, or gastric distress that comes from most meal replacements and protein powders. EAT-SMART is a nutritious, state-of-the-art formula. Unlike other meal replacements, EAT-SMART does not contain any useless, outdated, or unhealthy ingredients like hydrogenated oils, corn syrup solids, maltodextrin, fructose, dextrose, or aspartame. Instead, EAT-SMART is made from only the highest quality proteins (like whey), whole-food/low-glycemic carbohydrates, “good” fats from flaxseed, and added fiber—to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to recover from strenuous physical activity, sustain your energy levels, and build a healthy, strong, new you. EAT-SMART is guaranteed “best-tasting” or it’s free. EAT-SMART comes with an unconditional “Total Taste and Superior Formula Satisfaction” guarantee. We didn’t hesitate for one minute to assume all of the risk by asking our customers not to necessarily take our word for the claims we make about the flavors and the superior formula... but to allow you to purchase EATSMART essentially risk-free*, so you can evaluate for yourself if our claims hold 100% true. As you can plainly see, EAT-SMART is the “smart” choice for supplementing meals to help you lose bodyfat and gain new muscle mass—as long as you combine it with healthy eating habits and our intense weighttraining program. 38


Frequently Asked Questions About Maximum Growth ANSWERS TO YOUR Q UESTIONS…

Q:

I’m confused on some of the jargon you list in the Workout Section; can you explain exactly how to perform a triple drop-set and a super-set?

A:

If you’ve never done them before, advanced weight-training techniques like drop-sets, supersets, and triple sets can seem confusing. But let me assure you, they are not at all complicated. Let me explain how I use them in my workouts. I’m sure this will help. For triple drop-sets, I will use bench presses as an example. I perform my bench press with dumbbells. So, for example, if I’m performing a set of dumbbell bench presses, which on my planned workout schedule says to do a triple drop-set (which is marked with a “D” in the column after my “goal weight”), then I’d perform my planned number of repetitions. On this first set, it was six reps. Immediately after finishing my planned reps, I would sit up and place the dumbbells back on the rack. Then, without resting, I would grab another pair of dumbbells. Only this time, I’d use about one-half the weight I just used. Since I was using 90 lbs for my last set, I’d use 45 lbs for the next set. I lie back down on the bench and push out as many reps as I could, without sacrificing my form. Since my planned workout schedule called for another drop-set (a triple drop-set since there are three sets in a row—again, this set would be appropriately marked with a “D”), I would then rack my 45-lb dumbbells and grab the 25-lb dumbbells for my last set. Once again, I would lie down on the bench www.TheMuscleSystem.com

and continue to push out as many reps as possible, until I couldn’t move the weights up from my chest any longer. I’m finished. That’s considered a triple drop-set. Now, I’d take my scheduled rest time. I realize that using 25-lb dumbbells sounds like it would be way too light for me, especially since I weigh 225 lbs, but make no mistake about it, my friend, after three consecutive sets, and dropping the weights I’ve used each set—without letting my muscles rest and recover—the final “lighter” weight used will feel nearly as heavy as the original weight, when I did six reps. One thing to remember is that you don’t need to obsess over dropping the weight by exactly one-half. Instead, the idea is to drop the weight by close to half. But that won’t always work out exactly. For smaller muscle groups, like biceps and triceps, you might only “drop” your weight from a 35-lb to a 25-lb dumbbell (let’s say you’re doing seated dumbbell biceps curls) because finding a 17.5-lb dumbbell is not likely to happen, and it also might be too light. So instead, I would recommend you use a 35-, 25-, 15-lb dumbbell for your three drop-sets. This just makes more sense, don’t you think? Believe me, once you perform a couple of drop-sets, you’ll get the hang of it… and I’ll bet you’ll love the muscular pumps you get from doing them as well. Super-sets are fairly simple to do. When you are scheduled to perform “super-sets,” this simply means you are to integrate the two planned exercises into one continu39

M A X I M U M G R O W T H | Q & A’ S

ous set. If, for example, you’ve planned to super-set biceps and triceps (which is quite common in my Maximum Growth Program), you simply complete the first planned set of triceps and then move from the triceps exercise directly, without resting, into performing the biceps exercise. Once you have completed a set for each body part, this is considered one “super-set.” After a full super-set, you’d take your scheduled rest. If it sounds a little complicated, don’t worry. Once you actually do it, you’ll think it’s simple to follow.

Q:

When I’m starting the Program, how do I determine the weight I should use with each exercise?

A:

A lot of people who are new to my Program ask this question, and to be honest, there really isn’t a 100% accurate or scientific answer. I wish there were. But there isn’t. I can, however, provide you with some tips for deciding how much weight to use when you begin your first workout. You can start by reading through the Workout Calendar (which is provided on page 59) and also become familiar with the exercises on the first Workout Sheet, after the Strength Tests (workout #2 of 34). By simply looking over the exercises performed for each body part, you will likely notice you have performed some or most of them before. If this is the case, then you can use your memory to recall the weights you would normally use and record it under the “goal weight” for each specific exercise. For instance, if you already know you can barbell bench press 225 lbs for eight reps, then you can record this for your “goal weight” on the first row of the chest workout. Now, if you’ve never lifted any heavier weight than this or performed any fewer reps than eight, you would need to perform some simple math to determine the weight you plan to use for your six-rep set. It’s pretty easy—trust me. Here’s all you do… As a rule of thumb, for every two repetitions you plan to decrease, simply multiply the weight by 10%. (For instance, if you bench press 225 lbs for eight reps, and you want to calculate how much weight you would use for six reps, just multiply 225 x 1.10, which equals 247.5.) Now, you can round that number up, or down, depending on how comfortable you feel with either weight. Therefore, you might choose to round up and attempt 250 lbs for six reps. As you can plainly see, it’s 40

not an exact science, but in my opinion, this math equation works pretty well for most people who use it. Now, if you have never performed the recommended exercise for a particular body part, you may just have to use a little trial and error. While this is not necessarily the ideal way to start out, there is simply no better way to determine exactly what weights you should use. The best thing you can do is start by “guessing” which weights you might use. This could be based on similar exercises you are familiar with. Or, perhaps you noticed you are stronger on certain body parts, like chest and legs, and you have a pretty good idea of how much weight you can use. It’s really up to you. But basically, if you’ve never performed an exercise, you will likely need to start off by actually doing the exercise and writing down the weights you used and the number of reps you did on your Workout Sheet (under the “Actual weights” column). This way, the next time you are scheduled to work out the same body part, you can refer back to your Workout Sheet and read what you journaled. By the second time you work out the same body part, you’ll know exactly which weights are suitable for you, and you can plan them more accurately.

Q:

I noticed you didn’t talk much about cardiovascular exercise. Do you feel it’s important, and if so, when is the best time to do it?

A:

You are right. I didn’t talk much about cardiovascular exercise in this book. It wasn’t because I don’t believe in the benefits of it or that I don’t do it myself—because these two statements are not true— but because I didn’t think it was necessary to talk about it, especially since the entire focus of my Program is to help you gain serious muscle mass and strength, and it’s not about losing bodyfat. (This is saved for another free Program of ours, called the Lean System Success Plan—it’s an eight-week diet and training Program, designed much like Maximum Growth is, that takes the guesswork out of losing bodyfat. I suggest you give it a try after this Program if you want to get “cut.”) The truth is, the last thing I wanted to do was mistakenly allow you to lose precious muscle tissue by prescribing cardio exercise as part of this Program, so I purposely didn’t say much about it. However, because I understand the importance of keeping our bodyfat percentage to a minimum, at least for most of us, or trying not to gain any more bodyfat, while building muscle size, I will share some recomwww.TheMuscleSystem.com


mendations you can follow—if you decide you want to do it. I certainly don’t want to discourage you from doing cardio exercise, but it’s important that you know there are two times I must emphatically state that you absolutely, positively should not perform cardio exercise. These two times are before you workout with weights and the day after your “leg” workout. I won’t go into any lengthy, scientific explanations for these suggestions, but make no mistake about it, if you do cardio during these two times, you will severely impair your ability to gain muscle. First, if you want to include cardio exercise on the days when you weight train, please, please, please do it after your workout with weights. Doing it before will only “pre-exhaust” your muscles and deplete your storage of glycogen (energy stored within your muscles needed for strenuous weight training). I used to do this when I first began working out. Don’t make the same mistake. I always found that doing my cardio before a workout simply wore me out. Basically, I would be too tired to want to workout and would often lose my motivation. The second most important time you shouldn’t do any cardio exercise is the day following your “leg” workout. I realize this might sound strange, and to be honest, I don’t have any scientific studies to support my suggestion, but here is my theory anyway... When you work out your legs, the exercises work your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Combined, these are the largest muscle groups on your entire body. That means they likely require the most time to recover (hence the reason you only train them once a week). Therefore, if you decide to do cardio exercise the following day (which normally requires some form or use of your legs), before the muscles have had sufficient time to begin to recover, it places additional stress on them. This undue stress is not beneficial. See, by allowing the leg muscles to fully “take a break” the next day, you will make it much easier for them to recover adequately and build themselves up larger and stronger. Now, if you decide you want to incorporate cardio into this workout schedule on a more regular, consistent basis, I would suggest you perform no more than 30 minutes—no more than three days a week—of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or 30 minutes of super-intense cardio exercise. Exercises like jumping rope, roller blading, riding a bike, or inside activities such as on a recumbent bike, stair climber, elliptical, or www.TheMuscleSystem.com

treadmill are perfectly fine. You can choose to do any of these exercises on your weight-training days. Just make sure you do them after your workout. Or, you can do cardio exercise on your non-workout days. Either way is fine, really. It might just depend on the time you have to spend working out each day.

Q:

I don’t have access to some of the exercises you recommend; do you have a list of alternate exercises I can substitute for the ones shown in your Program?

A:

Yes, I do. I’m glad you asked this question. I realize not everyone has access to a gym. Perhaps your fitness center doesn’t have one of the machines I’ve suggested. Or, maybe you workout at home with only a pair of dumbbells. On page 97, you’ll find a section called “The Exercises.” Here’s where you can find a list of almost every weight-training exercise listed in this Program. Beside each exercise, you will also notice a few photographs, which show you exactly how to start and complete the exercise. In addition, I’ve also written a complete description of “how to” perform the exercise. I think you’ll find this helpful. Now, considering you may not have access to the particular exercise recommended, we’ve also listed (in red) two to three alternate exercises. These are listed directly underneath each exercise name. If you’d like to read a more thorough explanation of these and additional alternate exercises, along with step-by-step pictures of them, you can visit us on the web at www.RealSolutionsMag.com/weight-training (or you can visit our Home Page and click on the tab that says “Resources” to find a link to a section called “Weight Training Fitness Program.”)

Q: A:

After I’ve completed the entire 8-Week Program, what should I do next?

Once you’ve completed this eight-week Program, it’s highly likely you’ve established some great new habits and put on some impressive muscle size and strength. (In fact, I’ve witnessed people who have gained up to 24 lbs of new, muscular bodyweight and increased their max bench press by as much as 55 lbs in eight weeks. Believe me, it is possible!) By the end of the eight weeks, you will literally be a “new” person. Like night and day. You will have learned a new mindset possible for gaining muscle and will probably 41


be striving to learn more and to take on a new challenge.

feed them. That’s why it’s critical we combine this meal into a specific 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein.

With that in mind, what I recommend is that, after your eight weeks are completed, you decide what new goals you would like to pursue. It might be to gain even more muscle size. More strength. Or, perhaps you want to focus on losing bodyfat and getting “cut.” It’s really up to you. Once you decide on your new goals, there are a couple of options.

I’ve found that most people make this way more complicated than it needs to be. Since you already understand the importance of slamming down a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein, right after your workout, I won’t go into any further details or scientific explanation. To answer your question, here are two examples of how I achieve this ratio of carbohydrates to protein in my “post-workout” meal.

First, you can simply follow the eight-week Maximum Growth Program again. Many people follow this Program over and over again until they are satisfied with their results and new way of life. Or, if you prefer, we have another Program, which is shorter in length, called the 4-Week Maximum Growth Program. It is the original Program, which this Volume 2 was based from. It does have a different workout schedule but a similar nutrition plan. Last, if instead you decide you want to lose bodyfat, we have a fantastic Program for this. It’s called The Lean System Success Plan. It is an eight-week nutrition and exercise plan that spells out exactly what to do— how to train, eat, and take supplements—in a step-bystep, page-by-page eight-week plan. The best part is, it is free—just like this book was. All you have to do is call us, and we’ll mail out a copy to you right away. Simply call one of my fitness experts at 1-866-688-7679 (Dept. #2192) and tell them you want your free copy of The Lean System Success Plan. (All we ask is that you provide us with $5.00, to help cover the cost of postage and handling, and we’ll express mail it at no charge.) Now, if you have a speedy internet service and would prefer to download the workout and nutrition journal pages for free, all you have to do is visit www.iSatoriTech.com, and click on the tab up on the top of the screen that says “Nutrition & Training,” and you will find it there. You can download the entire eight-week journal pages in PDF format.

Q:

I’m trying to figure out how to achieve the 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein you suggest for the post-workout meal. Can you give me some more examples of different meals?

A:

For the record, “post-workout” means 30 to 60 minutes after you train. No longer than this. This critical time is called the “open window.” During this time, your muscles will literally suck up anything you 42

Remember, since your bodyweight will likely be different than mine, your protein and carbohydrate servings might be different. They may be more or less. The first thing you need to do is determine how much protein you should be consuming for each meal. You should have already figured this out in Law 2 (Eat More Calories, Especially Protein) of this Program. If you haven’t yet, then I suggest you do that now, before you read this. Your protein should come from whole foods like lean red meat, salmon, chicken, or tuna. Or you can use most meal replacements and some protein powders. Next, it’s simple math to calculate your carbohydrate requirements: take your protein requirements and multiply it by three. So, for example, I typically try to consume about 35 to 40 grams of protein per meal (225-lb bodyweight x 1 gram per pound = 225/6 meals per day = 37.5 grams of protein per meal). Therefore, in addition to this amount of protein, I would try to consume anywhere from 105 to 120 grams of carbohydrates. The carbohydrates should be from mostly complex and simple types and relatively nothing should come from refined sources such as sugar, white flour, or bread. With that in mind, here is what my “post-workout” meals usually consist of: Example #1: Because I usually work out in the morning, and since I haven’t eaten anything since I woke up, I rush to the kitchen right after my workout and start off by making an Eat-Smart mealreplacement shake. For added carbohydrates, I add one-half cup of frozen strawberries. And to top it off, I add in one scoop of our orange-flavored 3-XL. While blending my shake, I heat up a bowl of water combined with one full cup of oldfashioned oats. Now, to add a few more carbs, I www.TheMuscleSystem.com


throw in a piece of fruit, usually an apple, which has not only fast-absorbing carbs but provides some much needed fiber as well. With this meal, I’ve now got 45 grams of protein and around 120 grams of carbohydrates—the perfect 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein—which is essential for supplying my body with the precise nutrients it needs to reach my goals. Example #2: If I work out at lunchtime, or in the afternoon, I’ll usually follow my workout with a 3:1 meal made up mainly of whole foods. For example, if it’s near dinner time, I will boil about 10 oz of whole-wheat (or egg-enriched) pasta. I like to add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the water I’m boiling the pasta in to add more “good” fats. In a frying pan, I cook four or five ounces of lean ground beef. If you drain the grease from the pan, after cooking the beef, you can eliminate most of the “bad” fats. I like to mix the cooked beef into a low-fat tomato pasta sauce. I pour this on top of the pasta and add a large salad made with lettuce and spinach. I use a mixture of olive oil and red vinegar as the dressing. I’ll top the salad off with an entire apple I’ve sliced into pieces. This post-workout meal, when tallied up, provides 42 grams of protein and about 120 grams of carbohydrates. Another perfect 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein. As you can see, it’s not at all complicated. In fact, once you know your protein requirements for each meal, it’s pretty simple to figure it out from there. For more examples of “post-workout” meals that consist of 3:1 carbs to protein, please turn to Appendix III (called “The Meals”), where I’ve provided six days of meals you can use to fulfill your nutritional requirements.

Q: A:

Following your Program, how long will it take to start seeing “results”?

If you follow everything I have spelled out for you to the letter, and you have set reasonable goals, you should start to see results in as little as one week. Now, make no mistake, the results you will witness after one week will not be earth-shattering. Nevertheless, if you are using 3-XL and, to further enhance your results, added in the new H-Blocker to your supplement plan, it’s safe to say you will be very pleased with the strength gains you will notice within the first four to five days. Many people have noted that all of a sudden, after about four of five days, their www.TheMuscleSystem.com

strength skyrocketed. Weights that might have normally felt heavy started to feel a little lighter. And with some exercises, they do more reps too than normal. You might experience this sensation. It’s really pretty cool. Another thing you will likely see is a noticeable “fullness” and “hardness” to your muscles. The muscles in your chest, arms, and legs will feel “tight” after about one week. This is a sign that your body is taking more water inside your muscle cells. A scientific process called cell volumization. (It’s perfectly safe.) With that in mind, the goods news is, you can expect to gain anywhere from two to four pounds of bodyweight after the first week. It is not uncommon, however, to hear of people gaining up to five, six, or even seven pounds after one week on the Program. That might be because they have never followed such an intense Program or eaten so many calories. I’m not sure. Regardless, from the first week and beyond, you should be able to experience a gain of at least one pound of new, muscular bodyweight each week. This would only happen, of course, because you followed the Program to a “T.” That means… Eating right. Training hard. Drinking plenty of water. Getting adequate rest. And using the prescribed supplements. Over the last year, I’ve received letters and pictures from individuals who have gained in excess of 16 lbs during the first four weeks and up to 25 lbs after eight weeks of following my Maximum Growth Program. You are welcome to read their stories on our website. Simply visit www.TheMuscleSystem.com, and go to the Maximum Growth, Vol. II, product page. Then click on the tab that says “Testimonials.” You will find some incredible stories there. (And this is only a handful of the stories we’ve received.) However, everyone is different in the amount of weight they might gain, and your results will vary depending on a number of factors. Of course, the higher the gains you have set for yourself, both in strength and in bodyweight, the longer it might take. But with a disciplined effort, you will achieve your goals!

Q: A:

Do I need a training partner to help me follow your Program?

Absolutely not. I don’t train with a workout partner and neither did Sean Larsgard, Shaun Hadsall, or Mike Pakham (individuals whose photos 43


are shown on the inside-front and back covers of this book)… and we’ve all been able to achieve respectable gains in muscle size and strength. Now, don’t get me wrong: I also believe a workout partner can be a great asset to your Program and increase your motivation. Besides that, a workout partner can also be a useful “spotter,” which you might need whenever you are lifting heavy weights. For example, when I want to perform a heavy set of six reps, such as on bench presses or squats, I will usually ask a nearby person in the gym to help “spot” me, just in case my muscles completely fail, and I need a little help to complete the set or rack the barbell. This can be important to remember, because in my Program, you will be lifting heavier weights than you are probably normally used to, in a lower rep range, and you may reach failure faster than you might think. Please, please, please, don’t ever attempt to perform a heavy lift, especially when you are using a weight you have not used before, without the assistance of someone close by to spot you. On top of that, never, ever perform an exercise unless you are using proper form.

Q: A:

Should women follow your Program the same way as men?

Most definitely. To my knowledge, there is no scientific basis for why a woman should train with weights and exercise any differently than a man does. In fact, it has become quite an inaccurate stigma that women, for some reason, should only weight train using higher repetition ranges (like 20 to 25) and that they should perform much more cardio. I am not sure where this information originated, but I can tell you that unfortunately, it is still proliferated in several leading women’s health and fitness magazines—and it’s completely false. Of course, women will not obtain as much muscle as men, but that is simply because women naturally lack the ability to produce as much of the anabolic hormone, testosterone, as men. Still, I don’t see any reason a woman should follow my Program any differently than a man. By setting realistic goals, eating properly, exercising intensely, and taking the prescribed supplements, women like Tracy Lisac, who gained three pounds of muscle and dropped her bodyfat by five percent (in only four weeks)… and 44

Carla Sanchez, who is a professional fitness competitor… and Christine Pomponio-Pate, who is a nationally ranked professional figure competitor… have all achieved incredible changes in their bodies by following the principles I have outlined in my Program.

Q:

In your nutrition meal plans, it appears you rely heavily on meal replacement/protein powders. Why do you feel they are so important to use?

A:

There are two reasons, really, why I feel it is important to use a meal-replacement protein drink as part of my daily nutrition plan: convenience and confidence. I mean, what could be easier than adding a meal-replacement powder to water or milk in a blender (or shaker cup), mixing it up, so you’re ready to gulp down a “perfect” meal—in less than a minute. That’s what I call super convenient. Another thing that is important about using a meal replacement is that it allows you to feel more confident that you are providing your body with the necessary proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals (and if it’s a really good formula, it will even provide fiber and “essential fats” like flaxseed)—required to nourish your body and help it recover from the rigorous exercise and strenuous lifestyles we enjoy.

As for me, I use Eat-Smart®. It’s a meal replacement I helped create, with my company iSatori, and it’s not only the healthiest, most complete formula on the market, but it’s absolutely, positively the best-tasting meal replacement you will ever try. I guarantee it. Now, I may be a little biased, but I have a hunch if you try it, you will agree with me. You can learn more about EatSmart in the Supplement Section, which covers the most frequently asked questions. Or, you can visit our website at www.iSatoriTech.com/EatSmart, where you can find more information, including a complete breakdown of the ingredients, all of the new gourmet flavors we have available, and where to buy it. That being said, I typically use three Eat-Smart mealreplacement shakes each day (one in the morning, as my “post-workout” breakfast shake; another in the afternoon in-between two whole-food meals; and one additional shake, made as pudding, in the late evening, as my final “meal” of the day, right before I go to bed). In addition to these shakes, I consume three whole-food meals each day, as part of my complete nutrition plan. In my opinion, there are at least two essential times of the day you should consume a meal-replacement nutriwww.TheMuscleSystem.com


tion shake to assist you in fulfilling your daily dietary needs and help you achieve the fastest possible results. First, it’s absolutely critical you consume at least one meal replacement nutrition shake immediately following a workout or any physical activity. (By immediately, I mean within 20 to 30 minutes afterwards.) A second time of the day that’s critically important to consume a nutrition shake is either first thing in the morning for breakfast (if you don’t weight train in the morning) or as the very last meal of the day—about a half hour before bedtime. At the very least, I would recommend you use a high-quality meal replacement, like EatSmart, for these two times of the day to help you reach your goals.

Q:

Are there any other supplements you use in your nutrition plan, and which do you recom-

mend?

A:

Let me get something straight: If you do not pay careful attention to your nutrition plan—the foods you put into your body—each and every day, throughout the duration of this Program—you will not succeed. I cannot overstate the importance of quality foods and the role they play in your physical and mental strength and ability to increase muscle mass. That being said, I do use four other supplements, which I feel are important for helping me reach my goals, faster. I already mentioned I use Eat-Smart, a greattasting complete nutrition shake, but I consider this more of a “super food” than a supplement. In addition to my daily Eat-Smart shakes, I use 3-XL, which I feel is the most advanced creatine ester formula on the market—I take one serving immediately following my workout on days I exercise and one serving right before I go to bed on non-training days.

Another supplement I take, which I haven’t told anyone about (before writing this book), is a new experimental supplement that, so far, has helped me get more out of training—to recover faster, to get bigger, fuller pumps, and it has definitely increased my strength too. It’s called H-Blocker, and it’s just recently become commercially available since we conducted the pilot studies on its ability to produce the benefits I’ve personally enjoyed. So far, it looks really, really promising. I take a serving of H-Blocker about 20 minutes before every workout. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

The only other supplement I use on a daily basis, which I’ve been taking since I was a kid, is a multivitamin/mineral formula. I wouldn’t go a day without taking a multi-vitamin. The way I see it, a vitamin is like an “insurance policy” for your health. As you can see, I don’t try to overcomplicate the use of supplements, like some people do. Instead, I use supplements as “tools” to help me build my best body. Just like a carpenter uses his tools (hammer, nails, etc.) to build a house. You can learn more about each of the supplements I use in the Supplement Section. But remember, no matter which supplements you use, relying on them alone will not help you reach your goal to build a stronger, more muscular body… if you don’t apply the right principles of nutrition and exercise.

Q:

I find that learning about supplements is the most confusing part about building a better body—I don’t know who to trust—do you?

A:

When I first started using supplements, I used to feel the way you do. I was totally confused by all of the claims made by manufacturers and hundreds of choices of products on the store shelves. I realize how frustrating it can be to choose supplements, and that was the main reason I started my online newsletter over three years ago. And now, I am proud to say we have branched out into a full-color printed magazine as well. It’s called Real SOLUTIONS, and it provides lots of questions and answers from leading experts; informative articles on training, nutrition, and supplements; and it even contains real success stories from people who have followed our Programs, like Maximum Growth. Basically, in each issue, you will find the most accurate, up-to-date, straightforward information on what works, and just as important, what doesn’t work. As you know, there are lots of gimmicks out there, and my goal is to help you spend your hard-earned money only on what will work for you! You can subscribe to my monthly online newsletter right this minute, if you’d like, by visiting us at www.RealSOLUTIONSMag.com and clicking on the button, on the right side of the page, which says “Free eNewsletter.” As an added bonus, and to help you get the facts (before you buy any supplements), I’ll also send you a special report I co-wrote with science editor James O’Byrne called “7 Secrets You Must Know Before Buying Supplements.” It’s a seven-part series of emails that contains the unfortunate “dirty little secrets” sup45


plement manufacturers use to literally “steal” your money. Quite honestly, I feel this report could be the most important thing you ever read, especially if you currently use or are considering using supplements. (Or, if you would like to receive the printed version of Real SOLUTIONS magazine and have it delivered right to your doorstep, I am offering a fantastic deal for readers of this book. Simply turn to page 115 near the back, and look for the subscription offer. It’s an amazing offer, which includes three free gifts and costs only $16. A small price to pay for the inspiration and cutting-edge information you will receive in each issue!)

Q: A:

If I have more questions, is there any way I can contact you?

I’d like to thank you for your interest in the Maximum Growth Program, our iSatori supplements, and for taking the time to read through this Program. It was constructed for you. And with all sincerity, I wish you the absolute best in health, life, and reaching your goals. I will do whatever it takes to help you. As always, if you have any additional questions or need expert advice on training, nutrition, or supplements, please feel free to call my company. We can be reached between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, MST, by calling toll-free 1-866-688-7679 (Dept. #2193) . Or, you can always email us at [email protected], and one of our qualified fitness experts will gladly help you out. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

You bet. Unlike many supplement companies today, who don’t really care about whether or not you reach your goals, I do care. In fact, I’ve built my business around helping thousands of people, just like you, look better and feel better… to build the absolute best body their genetics will allow. And I would be honored and privileged to do the same for you! There are a couple of ways you can reach me: first, I am, from time to time, active in our lively discussion forum, which can be found on the Real SOLUTIONS Message Board. I occasionally update information about my Program, introduce new techniques and tools, and post answers to people’s questions. To find me there, simply visit www.RealSOLUTIONSMag.com and click on the section which says “Hot Forum Topics.” Another way you can reach me is to email me or write me. Yep. If you emailed most of the supplement companies I know of, or tried to contact the president or CEO, you wouldn’t make it past their first layer of insulation—likely an operator or secretary at best. And, if you left a message, you’d probably never see anything in return, besides a typical “form” letter. That’s not true with me.

You can email me anytime at [email protected], and although I might not be able to email you back immediately, I will absolutely, positively reply to your question or comment in a timely manner. I promise. (Try me!) Alternatively, you can write to me. Just send your comments to iSatori, ATTN: Stephen Adele, 15000 W. 6th Ave., Ste. #202, Golden, CO USA 80401.

46


Putting the Pieces Together Here’s “What to Do...” AN EXAMPLE DAY

U

UP TO THIS POINT, IT’S SAFE TO SAY YOU NOW UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING WITH GREATER INTENSITY and the need to incorporate variety into your workouts. You’ve also discovered the absolute best way to fuel your body after a workout. We explored, in greater depth, the vital importance of drinking plenty of water and getting more rest. And I’ve even uncovered a new, scientifically proven supplement to help aid in your efforts to build a stronger, more muscular body. But we’re far from being done… Now it’s time to put everything together. And that’s what I plan to share with you—exactly how I do it. To help you understand how each of the ten Secret Laws works together, along with the Variable Split Weight-Training routine, I’ll take you through a typical day for me. Using specific examples, I’ll guide you through the Maximum Growth Program by showing how, when, and what I eat; which supplements I use; and how I follow the exercise plan. Before we start, though, there’s something I need to tell you. Like I said before, there are plenty of ways to gain muscle size and strength, and in no way am I proclaiming my way is the only way. (Far too many selfprofessed “experts” do this already!) What I can www.TheMuscleSystem.com

honestly say is these techniques and tools are simply what have worked for me—year after year—and continue to work for countless others. And if you follow them, through the duration of this Program, you will absolutely, positively achieve greater gains in strength and size. Results you can be damn proud of. I promise. Are you ready? Great. Let’s get started. First, I can’t overstate the importance of planning. Before I even consider anything else, I always, always make sure I have my entire day planned out. For me, there could be nothing more integral to my success. In fact, whenever I don’t plan my days, I notice that everything feels “out of control” the next day. And it is. (Maybe this has happened to you?) That’s why I always take about 15 to 20 minutes each night, before I go to bed, and plan out my next day’s workout, prepare my meals, write my most important “To-Dos,” and as corny as it sounds, even pick out my clothes to wear. I can’t tell you how much time the next day this nightly ritual saves me. I’d bet over ten times. If you’re already good at planning, then you’ll certainly agree. If not, then I’d encourage you to start tomorrow and adopt this fantastic habit. 47

MAXIMUM GROWTH | PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER

So now let’s take a closer look at how I incorporate the techniques and tools we’ve covered and learn exactly how to apply them. Luckily, a great deal of the planning “work” has already been done for you in my Program. We’ve laid out the days you should work out. Pointed out exactly which body parts to train. We’ve even planned the exact number of sets, reps, and time to rest for each workout. On top of that, we’ve included a full six days of sample meals—from breakfast to preand post-workout to nighttime meals—so you can easily put together your daily eating plan. Believe me, when you look at how much of the guesswork we’ve taken out of building muscle and gaining strength, it doesn’t get much better than this. In fact, if someone had offered me a Program like this one when I first started out, I would have paid a couple hundred dollars for it, easily. (To me, it seems no one wants to really help you like this any longer… they just want you to buy their supplement, shake your hand, say “good luck,” and send you on your way. I don’t agree with this approach. I feel it’s much more important to provide a plan, a path, and every bit of assistance I can to help you reach your goals. I guess you could say I really care about people.)

together if you need more help determining what weight to use. Once I’ve planned my Weight-Training journal sheet, I move on to my nutrition plan. (On page 58, you’ll notice an example of how I plan to work out.) I’ve outlined exactly what I plan to eat. From the first to the last meal, including the supplements I’ll take and how much water I plan to drink. I don’t like to leave anything to chance, and as a result, I usually stay right on course each day. I’ve found the closer you follow your plan, the faster you reach your goals. There are really no two ways about it. I’ve provided a blank Daily Meal Plan Sheet on page 109, so you can make copies of it and use it to plan and write out your meals each day. You’ll notice my total calories are somewhat higher than the examples I’ve provided in The Meals section of this Program. That’s because I weigh around 220 lbs, and the examples I’ve provided are for a 175-lb person. You might weigh more or less than this, so you’ll need to calculate your daily calorie and protein needs for your desired weight. Once you do that, it’s pretty easy to plan your meals.

Anyway, let’s get back to the Program… and by way of example, take an in-depth look at how I put everything together:

From there, you can pick and choose which meals most closely match your likenesses for particular foods and then adjust them, based on portion sizes, to meet your calorie and protein needs.

On page 58, you’ll see an example of how I fill out the weight-training portion of the Program. This page is appropriately called the “Sample Page.” Now, because we’ve already prepared the body parts to train, exercises, sets, reps, and rest times, there’s only one thing left for you to plan—the “goal” weights. Although it’s easy to do, you should take your time and carefully examine your past workouts and the weights you used to determine which weights you should write down for your next workout. I’m always trying to push myself; therefore, I usually tack on about five to ten percent more weight about every couple of weeks. This way, I’m sure to keep my gains coming. Plus, it’s a great way to set your sights a little higher to help really push yourself. (Please refer to the Q&A section I’ve put

Now that I’ve written out the meals I plan to eat the following day, I’m about 50% done with my planning. Next I prepare the meals I am going to eat. Since tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me (and I have a luncheon meeting), I plan on eating two whole-food meals and three nutrition shakes… so I’ll need to make the meals in advance. After preparing my two tuna pita sandwiches and putting my cooked brown rice in a Tupperware bowl, I grab the rest of my fruits, bottled water, and supplements and put them in my shoulder bag to take to work with me the next day. I always double-check my supplement case to make sure I’ve got enough supplements to last me the entire week. (If you don’t have a supplement case, I’d encourage you to get one. They are pretty inexpensive and very convenient

48



to use. You can buy a pocket case online at WebVitamins.com.) Because I usually train in the mornings, I keep most of my breakfast foods, like oatmeal and condiments like Splenda® sweetener, at the office—since that’s where I eat after my morning workout. I also keep a spare container of Eat-Smart (my favorite meal replacement shake) at the office too, so I don’t need to lug them back and forth, from my home to work, and from work back to home. That can be inconvenient and annoying. Now that I’ve written out my goal weights for my next workout; written out and prepared the meals I plan to eat tomorrow; made sure I’ve got the supplements I need to use, the final thing I do is prepare my clothes. Since I work out in the morning, I make sure I have a comfortable T-shirt, pair of track pants, some socks and underwear, and my tennis shoes and baseball hat laid out. Then, I pack the clothes I’ll wear at work in my gym bag. Last, I make sure I’ve got my iPod (a digital headphone/music system, which helps keep my intensity up while I work out in the early morning), wallet, keys, and cell phone… all packed and ready to go. After this, I’m off to bed. It’s usually around 10:00 or 10:30 p.m. The next morning, just like I do every day, I wake up at 5:15 a.m. Without hesitation, before getting dressed, I head for the kitchen and pour a large glass of water. There’s nothing more refreshing, and important, than a tall glass of water first thing in the morning. Especially considering your body hasn’t had any food or liquids for about seven or eight hours. Typically, most people would make a cup of coffee at this point—to help them “get going.” But I don’t feel this way. For me, I’ve always been looking for better ways to crank up my intensity in the morning to help me get the most out of every workout. That’s why I helped create and use a supplement now instead, called H-Blocker. We developed this new supplement with Dr. Mark Tallon based on his most recent research in the area of carnosine boosting, which was very compelling to me. He is a very bright person, earning his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Southampton University in England. He even www.TheMuscleSystem.com

works with Olympic athletes as a nutrition consultant and is an IronMan triathlete himself. To say this guy is brilliant is an understatement. He formulated H-Blocker to boost your carnosine stores to help produce immediate explosive strength gains, more intense muscular contractions, and delay muscular fatigue. I absolutely love using it before I weight train. I find it cranks up my workout intensity and maximizes my muscular strength. This is helpful when you train, like I do, at 6:00 in the morning! I mix one heaping scoop of H-Blocker with eight ounces of water and drink it down (on an empty stomach). I head back upstairs to my bedroom, get dressed… kiss my wife and kids goodbye (while they’re still sleeping), grab my gym bag, and head off to the gym. I usually arrive at the gym a few minutes before 6:00. After getting my iPod headphones on with my favorite music, I’m ready to start training by 6:00 a.m. sharp. Today I am going to work out my chest, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. I start my chest workout with flat dumbbell bench presses. (See The Exercises section on page 97 for a detailed explanation and demonstration photos for all of the exercises in this Program.) I prefer dumbbells to barbells when doing bench press because it doesn’t cause any pain in my shoulders, like a barbell does. To get my muscles warmed up and to get the blood flowing in my body, I start by using 45-lb dumbbells for a “warm-up” set of 15 to 20 repetitions—using a moderate level of intensity. This set is not scheduled on my workout planning sheet, but I feel it’s important to do. After about 30 seconds of rest, and spending another minute stretching my chest, shoulders, and lower back, I immediately grab the 75-lb dumbbells, lie back down on the bench, and do a set of eight reps; then 85 lbs for eight reps; 90 lbs for six reps; 100 lbs for six reps; and another set with 100 lbs for six reps again. Only this time, on the last set, because there is an “F” marked in the column next to my goal weight and repetition, I push myself, as hard as I can, without sacrificing my form, to do two more reps and one partial rep, beyond my scheduled repetitions, until I am completely exhausted 49


and can’t budge the weights any longer. Between each set, I pay close attention to the amount of time I rest and am careful not to exceed the time listed on my workout sheet. Not only does this help keep the intensity of my workout peaked, but it ensures I’ll get my workouts done in a timely manner—in well under an hour. To keep better track of time, I wear a wristwatch made by Mio® that has a built-in timer. I suggest you get one or something similar to keep track of your rest periods. After the dumbbell bench press, I quickly move onto the flat dumbbell flye exercise. (Again, you can turn to page 97 and look at each exercise I perform in this Program. Or, for an even more thorough explanation of these, and more exercises, you can visit our website at www.RealSolutionsMag.com/weight-training). Sometimes, to put a little more emphasis on the upper part of my chest, I’ll use an adjustable flat bench and raise it upward a notch or two, so it’s angled by 15 to 20%. On this exercise, I grab the 55-lb dumbbells and perform three sets of eight reps. Once again, I pay careful attention not to exceed the amount of time I am allowed to rest between each set. I can’t stress how important this is to maximizing your intensity. I also use my rest periods to write down both my “actual” weights used and my “actual” number of reps performed. This is very important to journal, so when you’re planning the next workout, you can reference the weights you used and include them in your “goal” weights. (You can increase, or decrease them, depending on whether you reached or exceeded your goals.) Well, I’m done working out my chest at this point. By now, my muscles are really feeling good and full of blood. It’s time to move on to my deltoids (otherwise known as the shoulders). Today, my workout calls for only training the front deltoids and not the sides or rears. See, the deltoids are a muscle that has three very distinct parts to it—the front (near your chest), side, and rear (near your back and traps)—each of which requires separate weight-training movements to build it. Again, this exercise is a dumbbell workout. So, after adjusting the bench to ensure I’m sitting straight, and upright, I grab a pair of 50-lb dumbbells and perform eight reps; the next set I do eight reps again but move up to 55 lbs; 50

and on my third and final shoulder set, I grab the 60-lb dumbbells and perform another eight reps. Just like my last set of bench press, this set calls for “failure” again. So, I crank out an additional two reps. I’m so exhausted at this point, I can barely carry the dumbbells back to the rack. By now, I’m starting to break a sweat, and my upper body—chest and shoulders—are really filled with blood. I’ve got a great pump! At this point, there’s another biochemical process going on in my body called neuromuscular contraction. It’s where the muscles are being signaled by the brain and nervous system to contract. Basically, your muscles are now able to work much more efficiently, and because of this, you can progressively lift more weight on the same exercise each time you perform a set. That’s why I was able to increase the weights on my shoulder press exercise for each of the three consecutive sets and still achieve the same number of reps. Pretty cool, huh? I’ve got two minutes to catch my breath; then it’s time to begin my biceps and triceps workout. Today, I’m scheduled to perform “super-sets.” This simply means I will integrate the two exercises into one continuous set—moving from my triceps exercise directly, without resting, into performing the biceps exercise. Once I have completed a set for each body part, I take my scheduled rest. If it sounds a little complicated, don’t worry. Once you actually do it, you’ll think it’s simple to follow. For me, I don’t believe there is any better (or fun) way to train your arms than to do super-sets. Working these two body parts together, with hardly any rest, makes your arms burn and feel like they’re going to burst because they’re so full of blood. It’s a great feeling (and impressive looking too, I might add!) Before I start, I like to make sure I’ve got each exercise prepped. For triceps I grab the v-shaped bar and hook it up to the pushdown cable. For biceps, I adjust the seat on the preacher bench and place the curl bar on the bench as well. I then set the pin in the weight stack to 70 lbs and perform 15 controlled reps on the cable pushdown machine. Then, I immediately walk over, sit in the preacher bench, and using 75 lbs, perform 15 biceps curls. This is considered one “super-set.” After comwww.TheMuscleSystem.com


pleting my first super-set, I rest for the scheduled 90 seconds and use this time to write down my actual weights and reps performed. I perform two more supersets of triceps pushdowns and preacher bench curls. And that’s it. By now, my arms are burning, and my upper body is completely gorged with blood! But, we’re not done yet…

While it’s not my goal to always finish under my scheduled time, it is important to stay within it by a couple of minutes. Now, I sit down on a bench and take a couple of minutes to record my final actual reps and then run a quick glance over my goal to actual planned weights and reps for each exercise. Today everything was pretty close.

The final body part in today’s workout is my abs. Over the years, I’ve noticed a lot of people overlook their abdominal muscles. But in my opinion, if you want your abs to be as developed as other parts of your body, you have to train them with just as much emphasis and focus. When I train my abs, I don’t obsess over performing a high number of reps—such as 50 or 100 reps—all at once. I’m convinced this is not very effective for developing your ab muscles. And, there is no research to support it either. Instead, I like to stay within a 15- to 20-rep range.

Remember, when you do your workouts, you might use less or more weight than I do. That doesn’t really matter. What matters most is that you keep a constant record of the actual weights and reps you did and pay close attention to the time you rest between sets. This way, you’re sure to keep your intensity levels up and make the most of your time spent in the gym.

If you’re focusing on your breathing and intensely contracting your stomach muscles as you perform each rep, there’s really no reason to do any more than 20 reps each set. My first ab exercise is floor crunches. I like to perform this exercise on a Swiss ball for maximum contraction. (Plus, I find it’s more comfortable.) Again, you can see a complete explanation, with photos, on page 97 in The Exercise section of this Program. Once I get my body stable on the Swiss ball, I perform 20 reps; then, with little rest, I perform another set of 20 reps; and finally, one more set—only this time I can do only 15 reps. My abs are burning by this point! After I rest for 90 seconds, I move to my next ab exercise—leg lifts. This exercise might sound easy, but if performed correctly, it’s actually quite exhausting and excellent for working the lower portion of your abs. I lie back on a flat bench (or, if you’d like a little more difficultly, then lie back on the reverse side of a decline bench, with your arms above and behind you grasping the handle bar). With less than a minute of rest between sets, I perform three sets of 20 reps. Now, I’m done. Today’s weight-training workout took approximately 43 minutes. Two minutes under my goal of 45 minutes. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

I also use this time to jot down a few notes about the workout. For instance, today I repeatedly noticed how pumped my arms felt. I got a great, intense workout, and I was very strong. In fact, I’ll need to make a note for the next time I train chest that I should increase the weights used since I hit a new six-rep max today! This is all very important information to record. And this is it for the weight-training portion of my day. Pretty simple, eh? Not easy, but simple to follow— wouldn’t you agree? After I finish my early morning workout, it’s usually around 6:50 a.m., and it’s time to get into the office and focus on my nutrition. I have to tell you, though, there is absolutely, positively no better way to start your day than with an intense, focused weight-training workout. By the time I walk into my office, my mind is refreshed, and I’m ready to take on the day’s challenges. Following the Variable Split Program from Maximum Growth Volume II means I train with weights four days a week. (See The Workouts section for your full eightweek calendar workout schedule on page 59.) I follow this calendar to the letter. In fact, like I said earlier, the closer I follow my plan, the faster I see results… and the greater my progress. Oh yeah, even though my Program doesn’t suggest doing any cardio exercise, if you want to perform it, I would encourage you to do it 51


on alternate days—on the days you don’t weight train. Or, if you have the time, you can always perform cardio after you train with weights. But remember, never, ever perform cardio before your weight-training workouts or the day after you train your legs. By the way, there is really no need to do cardio exercise any more than three times during the week and for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Any more than this will only be harmful to your progress and keep you from putting on maximum muscle. I arrive at my office at 7:00 a.m., and the very first thing I do is head for the kitchen—to eat. But not just any meal will do the trick. Because I just worked out, my body is primed for quality nutrients to help it recover and start rebuilding new muscle mass. (Besides that, I haven’t eaten now for nine hours, so I’m extremely hungry too!) This time is called my “open window.” My muscles will literally suck up anything I feed them during this state. That’s why it’s critical we combine our meal into a specific 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. I start off by making an Eat-Smart meal-replacement shake. I simply put 20 oz of water in the blender and add three ice cubes and two rounded scoops of my EatSmart Base formula. Then, because I’m going to have my favorite post-workout Fruit Smoothie “Maximum Muscle Shake,” I add one serving of Strawberry Cheesecake Flavor Enhancer to the blender. Now, for added carbohydrates, I add about one cup of frozen strawberries. And to top it off, I add one scoop of our orange-flavored lean-mass-building supplement, 3-XL. Each serving of 3-XL provides an effective dose of creatine ester and di-arginine malate, two compounds which have been shown in recent studies to increase absorption and retention of creatine within the body. (The more creatine you have in your body, and the longer it stays there, the more likely you are to experience greater gains in muscle size and strength and retain it for longer). The reason I use orange is because when it’s mixed with the strawberry flavors already in the blender, it gives the shake a fruity taste—a lot like one of those frozen tropical fruit smoothies you get while on vacation in Mexico. 52

While blending my special Maximum Muscle shake, I heat up a bowl of water, combined with one cup of oldfashioned oats. After it’s heated, I stir in two packets of Splenda sweetener, and now I’ve got a chilled, thick, rich nutrition shake… and a bowl of complex, hearthealthy oats… in less than a minute. I’ve now provided myself with the perfect 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, which is essential for supplying my body with the precise nutrients it needs to reach my goals. This “meal” will keep me satisfied for another two and a half hours, at least. So, I take a shower, get dressed, and start my work day by 7:30 a.m. In between my first and second meal, I’m continually drinking from a large water bottle I keep at my desk. This is really to stay hydrated, especially since I just trained as well (and lost a great deal of water through perspiration). At 10:00 a.m. I’m ready for my second meal. I take a quick look at my nutrition plan, and I’ve got “tuna pita sandwiches, brown rice, and half an apple” written down. So, I head back to the kitchen to eat just that. (I like to take paperwork back with me to read while I eat. This way I can be more efficient.) I make sure I drink two tall glasses of water as well. I have a luncheon meeting today, so I won’t need to prepare anything in the kitchen for lunch. At 12:20 p.m., my appointment arrives 10 minutes early. We head to lunch at a favorite nearby restaurant of mine called Blue Sky. I like this place because the servers, managers, and owner know me very well. (Keep this in mind the next time you go out to eat. Try to choose places where you can visit regularly and employees can become familiar with your eating habits.) I find this helps. A lot. They don’t look at me like I’m crazy when I ask for egg whites and extra chicken with no butter. This is important because I don’t want to miss out on being able to socialize and have breakfast, lunch, or dinner with my family and friends. It’s good to become familiar with restaurants that will happily accommodate your “healthy” eating requests. If they don’t, then I wouldn’t eat there any longer. Today, just like most days when I visit Blue Sky, I order the Rambler Skillet. This dish consists of sliced potatoes, diced chicken breast, egg whites, and is topped with roasted pecans. www.TheMuscleSystem.com


It’s a perfect combination of complex carbs, good quality proteins, and even essential fats (from the nuts). With lunch, I drink a glass of iced tea with a packet of Splenda and a glass of water as well. About 30 minutes after lunch, I typically take another serving of H-Blocker. The reason I do this is based on Dr. Tallon’s theory, as well as my own practical use. That is, guys who are over 200 lbs in bodyweight should take an additional serving of H-Blocker to really maximize carnosine stores. H-Blocker helps me accomplish that and keeps me going strong all day. At 3:00 p.m. I head for the kitchen to make an EatSmart nutrition shake. Only this time, I make a different flavor. See, that’s the great thing about Eat-Smart: you can choose from a wide variety of flavors so you never get bored with them—like I did with regular chocolate and vanilla from other shakes I used to drink. This time I’m going to make a Double Vanilla Ice Cream flavored shake. And to get another 50 grams of carbs, I’ll add a banana to the blender while I’m mixing it up. Man, these shakes are tasty. I know I’m a little biased, but they’re almost too good if you ask me! A lot of people have emailed to tell me how much they love the flavors of Eat-Smart and that it contains such high-quality ingredients, like fiber and flaxseed oil. That makes me feel good—because we worked really, really hard to develop such a fantastic supplement. (You can find EatSmart at most supplement retailers, by the way.) As you can see, it’s important to feed your body with the protein, carbohydrates, and essential fats it needs. That’s why I eat every two and a half to three hours during the day. At 5:30 p.m. I have what I call a “snack-meal.” It’s not really a full meal, and it’s definitely more than a snack. It’s not really part of the Program I’ve put together for you, but I do this differently because I know I’m going to be heading home from work in about an hour to 90 minutes at most, and my wife, Julia… well, let’s just say she’s from the South and she loves to cook. So, while I don’t want to spoil her fantastic dinner by eating too much too soon before we eat dinner, I don’t like to go home www.TheMuscleSystem.com

starving. My snack-meal consists of a bowl of low-fat cottage cheese, some fruit, and an overloaded spoonful of Power Butter’s peanut butter. This gives me just the right amount of protein, carbs, and some healthy fats. This type of meal will also digest more slowly, and therefore, I won’t feel as hungry when I get home, which keeps me from overeating (which, if you ever came over to visit and eat at my house, you’d find is easy to do, with my wife’s glorious cooking). I usually arrive home near 7:00 p.m. That’s when we have dinner as a family. Although my wife is a great cook, she is also very cautious of how our food is prepared. While she doesn’t douse our foods in butters and unhealthy oils, she uses plenty of spices and healthy oils to really make our food taste great! Plus, one of our goals as parents is to help our children learn healthy eating habits, early on, so they can live healthier lives too. Julia always makes sure protein is the center of our meals, whether it’s chicken, fresh fish, or steak. Tonight she has prepared her famous tuna steaks with fat-free wassabi mayonnaise. A side dish of wild brown rice and asparagus accompanied the meal. (For more of Julia’s meals, you can read her regular column by subscribing to our Real SOLUTIONS magazine or you can find them in The Lean System Nutrition Guide.) Finally, at 9:30 p.m., I have another Eat-Smart shake. Only this time, I use less water than the label recommends, which turns it into a creamy pudding. I use the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups flavor. This is one of my absolute favorite flavors. After I mix it up with a spoon in a bowl, I let it sit in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Voila! It’s instant dessert—only I know it’s good for me. After I finish my Eat-Smart pudding nutrition shake, I take a multivitamin and mineral formula (called MegaMen®. It’s made by GNC). Now, it’s close to 10:00 p.m., so I sit down to review my notes from today and start my planning for tomorrow. The next day, however, I won’t be weight training, so I only have to plan my meals. 53


That’s how I put all of the basic pieces together. It’s pretty simple, and best of all, it’s worked well for me, and I’m certain it can work for you too! As you can plainly see, there is nothing overcomplicated about my workouts, my eating habits, nor the supplements I take. There is no magic. To be honest, I’d say most people make it way more complex than it needs to be. Now, make no mistake about it, I’m not saying it’s easy. Rather, I believe it’s simple. It’s simple to follow a plan, as long as you’ve carefully thought it out. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to start your journey—the plan has been laid out for you. All you have to do is apply your newfound knowledge. Remember, I’ll be with you every step of the way... Think of me as your “coach”—here to help you succeed!!

“

I’ve found the closer you follow your plan, the faster you reach your goals.

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The Workout THE 8-WEEK VARIABLE SPLIT WEIGHT-TRAINING PROGRAM

T

The Maximum Growth Workout Plan you are about to follow is not too simplistic, nor is it technically advanced and hard to follow. It doesn’t over-work your muscles—you’ll work out no more than four days per week, with plenty of rest in between workouts. And, it certainly doesn’t under-train you either—using advanced techniques such as “failures” and “drop-sets” gives you the ultimate “pump” and “burn” for maximum growth.

To achieve 100% success with this program, you need to combine the right exercises with the right number of reps and sets in just the right order, with an exact number of days of rest in between workouts, just as it has been spelled out for you! (This is vitally important!!) You should start by taking your body measurements, bodyweight, and bodyfat—see Appendix I. On day one of your workout program is a “strength test.” I suggest you do this first, before you start your Program, on the same day you take your bodypart measurements. See, at the end of the eight weeks, you’re going to measure your body parts again and take another strength test… only this time, you’ll be impressed with the solid, www.TheMuscleSystem.com

noticeable results from the hard work you put in the gym! Next, you begin your weight training, full speed, as outlined in the following eight-week, day-by-day workout schedule. To make it simple for you, I’ve created two full-page “calendar schedules” that tell you exactly what days and which muscle groups to train. All you do is check off your daily scheduled workout after you train. It’s that simple! I suggest you make a copy and hang the calendar up on your refrigerator or some place you’ll see it often. This way, you won’t forget when to get yourself to the gym and do the right workouts (at the right times). Following the calendar, I’ve provided a “Sample Workout” page and a page on How to Read and Follow Your Workout Schedule,” so you can see, firsthand, how to use the daily workout sheets. Read these carefully, please. There are specific instructions that need to be followed to get the most out of your workouts (e.g.; rest times, number of reps, failure sets, etc.). It’s really quite simple to understand, once you read through it. 55

MAXIMUM GROWTH | WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM

By the way, one thing to consider... If you would like to perform any cardiovascular exercise, it’s best to keep it to no more than three days per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session. A specific type of cardio I usually follow, and the latest science supports, high-intensity, short intervals (sometimes called High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT) is optimal for burning off excess bodyfat while preserving muscle mass. Try and do your cardiovascular exercise on non-weight training days if you can. But never, never, never do your cardio the day after you trained legs. You need this “down time” to fully recover. This way, you can “preserve” your energy reserves for those brutally intense weight-training sessions! If you don’t have time on your non-training days and would rather do cardio exercise on your workout days, then please do it after your weight-training session, not before (like so many people do!) Performing your cardio exercise before you workout will only deplete your body of the essential glycogen (energy) reserves it needs to train intensely. Basically, you’ll be exhausted before you train, and you don’t want that to happen. For more explanation about cardio, including which exercises are most effective (and others I enjoy), please refer back to the Maximum Growth Q&A’s section of this book. Now, before we go on, I need to clarify something. When I say this weight-training program needs to be followed in just the right way—I mean it. You can’t expect maximum results with a “hit or miss” system. So, let’s get started… Turn the page if you’re ready and willing to start the 8-Week Variable Split WeightTraining Program.

“

…this 8-Week Variable Split Training Program is hands down the best way to train for greater muscle size and strength.

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M A X I M U M G R O W T H | C O N T I N U AT I O N P R O G R A M

HOW

TO

READ

AND

FOLLOW YOUR WORKOUT SCHEDULE

The workout page layout is very simple and easy to follow. It reads just like any book—left to right, top to bottom. This explanation is provided to make you aware of some of the more advanced techniques used in the 8-Week Training Program, like drop sets and super sets. Workout Header: This contains information about the workout, including your name, the date of the workout (simply fill this in each day), the workout number (of total workouts), and the time it should take you to complete the workout. The last column to the right is used to record the time you start and stop your workout as well as the total time your workout takes.

SAMPLE WORKOUT PAGE Name: Stephen Adele 8-Week Program Maximum Growth

Group

First muscle group to train.

Chest

FOR

Date: 10/8/05 Workout # 1 of 20 Est. Time: 45 min.

Exercise Bench Press

First exercise for muscle group (e.g., chest) Weight x Reps: Sets 1-5 for bench press. I suggest doing a couple warm-up sets. Don’t limit yourself to these for warmups—do what you need to do to get your muscles loose! This is your GOAL weight— you should reach it 98% of the time.

S E T S

Shoulders Seated Dumbbell Press

S U P E R

{

Flat Dumbbell Flye

Advanced Technique Super Sets: Start by performing the first exercise— complete the planned reps—and then, without resting—start the next exercise and complete the planned reps. Rest only after “super set” is completed.

Triceps Biceps Triceps Biceps Triceps Biceps Calves

8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM

Triceps Pushdown Preacher Barbell Curl Triceps Pushdown Preacher Barbell Curl Triceps Pushdown Preacher Barbell Curl Standing Calf Raise

Goal

Start Time: Stop Time: Total Time: F/D

195 x 8 235 x 8 290 x 6 290 x 6 290 x 6 F 65 x 6 55 x 8 65 x 6 55 x 8 65 x 6 55 x 8 50 x 8 65 x 8 65 x 8 55 x 8 F 70 x 15 D 65 x 15 100 x 12 90 x 12 100 x 12 90 x 12 350 x 10 385 x 8 400 x 8 400 x 8

Rest 75 sec. 120 sec. 150 sec. 150 sec. 150 sec. 0 sec. 60 sec. 0 sec. 60 sec. 0 sec. 60 sec 90 sec. 120 sec. 120 sec. 120 sec 0 sec. 75 sec 0 sec. 90 sec. 0 sec. 90 sec. 120 sec. 120 sec. 120 sec. -

Actual x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 400 x 8

ddd

The Program Name

Rest Interval: The amount of time to rest before doing the next set! Advanced Technique Failure Set (F): Take this set to complete failure: do as many reps as you can! Then push yourself to do two more but never at the expense of your form!

Advanced Technique Drop Set (D): Complete the planned number of reps. Without rest, drop the amount of weight used by about one half, then start your next planned set of reps. (If it’s a triple-drop set, perform one more similar set, lowering weight by one half once again.

Journal: Use these spaces to record your goal workout weights and actual weights used as you go along. This great tool gives you important data to monitor your progress and refer to later.

The 5 Simple Steps to Journal Your Workouts: 1. Record the date and start time. 2. Begin on the top left of the page. (The first muscle group in this example is the chest; the first exercise is the bench press; first set is 195 lbs x 8 reps.) 3. Complete each set from top down. Note drop sets, super sets, and rest intervals (the advanced techniques). 4. Finish the final set for the last exercise (at the bottom of each page), and record the stop time. 5. Calculate the total time and compare it to the estimated time. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

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MAXIMUM GROWTH | SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM

MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM Name: Stephen Adele 8-Week Program

Maximum Growth

Group

Back

Date: 10/6/05

Start Time: 6:15 AM

Est. Time: 41 min.

Total Time: 43 minutes

Workout # 3 of 34

Exercise

Barbell Bentover Row

Goal

180 x 8

(Machine)

Biceps

225 x 6

150 x 10

F

165 x 8

Rest

90 sec.

Actual

175 x 10

120 sec.

200 x 8

120 sec.

220 x 6

90 sec.

165 x 8

120 sec.

185 x 6

120 sec.

120 x 8

120 sec.

135 x 10

75 sec.

40 x 8

120 sec. 60 sec.

210 x 6

150 x 8

E L P M SA E G A P Barbell Curl

185 x 8

185 x 8 110 x 8

Incline Dumbbell Curl

Lying Ab Crunch

F

120 x 8 135 x 8

Abs

F/D

200 x 8 225 x 6

Narrow-Grip Lat Pulldown

Stop Time: 6:58 AM

135 x 8 40 x 8

F

40 x 8

40 x 8

120 sec. 75 sec.

60 sec.

0 x 12

90 sec.

0 x 10

0 x 10

90 sec.

75 sec.

0 x 12

0 x 10

120 sec.

F

185 x 6 110 x 8

135 x 8 40 x 8 40 x 6 0 x 12

0 x 12

105 sec.

0 x 10

-

0 x 15

105 sec.

0 x 10

Notes:

Great day of training! Very strong and intense workout! Biceps got a massive pump!

58



MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM TRAINING CALENDAR Name:

8-Week Program

Maximum Growth

Month:________________________ Start Date:________________________ Completion Date:________________________

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

Strength Test/ Body Measurements

Chest Shoulders Triceps Biceps Abs

No Training

Back/Traps Shoulders Triceps Biceps

No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #4

Workout #5

Workout #1

WEEK

1

Workout #2

Workout #3

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #8

Workout #9

WEEK

2

Workout #6

Workout #7

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #12

Workout #13

WEEK

3

Workout #10

Workout #11

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #16

Workout #17

WEEK

4

Workout #14


Workout #15

59


MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM TRAINING CALENDAR Name:

8-Week Program

Maximum Growth

Month:________________________ Start Date:________________________ Completion Date:________________________

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #20

Workout #21

WEEK

5 Workout #18

Workout #19

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #24

Workout #25

WEEK

6

Workout #22

Workout #23

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #28

Workout #29

WEEK

7

Workout #26

Workout #27

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training


No Training


No Training


Legs Calves

Workout #32

Workout #33

WEEK

8 Workout #30

Workout #31

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

DATE:

No Training

No Training

No Training

Strength Test/ Body Measurements

FINIS

60

H Workout #34



MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM 5-REP MAX STRENGTH TEST DAY—PRE-MEASUREMENTS Name:

Date:

Start Time: N/A

8-Week Program

Workout # 1 of 34

Stop Time: N/A

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: N/A

Total Time: N/A

CAUTION: Please make sure you warm up thoroughly by stretching and performing repetitions before each primary strength test lift. And always use a spotter when performing heavy lifting. TIP: Choose four primary lifts, such as the bench press, barbell squat, shoulder press, barbell row, etc. To determine your five-repetition maximum, simply increase your weight used on each lift until you reach a full set of five repetitions, without help from a spotter. This is your 5-Rep Max. Please be cautious when lifting heavy weights. As a rule of thumb, don’t ever go below four reps, and always keep a spotter on hand, just in case you reach complete muscle failure during your lift.

Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #1: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt. x5

(Choose any primary exercise, such as bench, squat, shoulder press, leg press, etc.)

Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #2: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt. x5


Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #3: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt. x5


Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #4: [ ______________________________ ] (Choose any primary exercise, such as bench, squat, shoulder press, leg press, etc.)

Planned Wt. x5

Rest Rest thoroughly for about 4 to 5 minutes before beginning the next strength test lift.




Actual Wt. x5

Actual Wt. x5

Actual Wt. x5

Actual Wt. x5

(Once completed, copy your strength test results onto your pre-measurement form/Appendix I.) Remember, after your eight weeks are completed, you’ll take another strength test and measure your body parts.


61


MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM Name:

Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 2 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 50 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest

Bench Press (Barbell)

Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x6 Incline Dumbbell Press

x8 Shoulders

S E T S S U P E R

Abs

F

x 12

75 sec.

x

(or Barbell Press)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x 12

45 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

Triceps Pushdown (Machine)

x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

Floor Crunches (3 sets)

x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Dumbbell Side Raise

Biceps

F

Seated Barbell Press

x 10

Triceps

F/D

F

Notes:

62




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 3 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x8

Shoulders

F

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

x8

75 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

F

150 sec.

x

Seated (or Standing)

x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Reverse Flye

x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x

Lying Triceps Extension

x8

D

0 sec.

x

(EZ Curl Bar or Barbell)

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps

Single-Arm Dumbbell Curl

T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8 Notes:


63



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 4 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 54 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest

Incline Dumbbell Press

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

Close-Grip Bench Press

x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

-

x

x8 Flat Dumbbell Flye

x8 Shoulders

A R M

D AY

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

Barbell Curl

H E A V Y

Biceps

Abs

Decline Sit-Ups

Swiss Ball Crunches

F/D

F

F

Notes:

64




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 5 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 34 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Barbell Squat

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 15

60 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10 Calves

F

Standing Calf Raise

x 10

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Hamstrings

T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Quads

F/D

Leg Curl

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8

Notes:


65



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 6 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 32 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown (Machine)

Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6 Close-Grip Seated Cable Row

Shoulders

S U P E R

S E T S

Triceps

Biceps

F/D

F

x8

F

120 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Reverse Dumbbell Flye

x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

-

x

Notes:

66




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 7 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 45 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

F

F


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8

Abs

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Notes:


67



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 8 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 51 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x


Shoulders

H E A V Y

Biceps

F

x8

F

120 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

-

x

A R M

D AY

Triceps

F/D

Barbell Curl

Notes:

68



Name:

Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 9 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Leg/Knee Extension

S U P E R

S E T S

MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM

Quads

Hamstrings

Calves

Rest

Actual

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

120 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Barbell Squat

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 12

105 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

Standing Calf Raise

x8

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

90 sec.

x

-

x

Straight-Leg Dumbbell Deadlift

Goal

x8

F/D

F

F

Notes:


69



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 10 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 50 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

S E T S S U P E R

Abs

F

x 12

75 sec.

x

(or Barbell Press)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x 12

45 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Dumbbell Side Raise

Biceps

F


x 10

Triceps

F/D

F

Notes:

70




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 11 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x8

Shoulders

F


x8

75 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

F

150 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8 Notes:


71



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 12 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 54 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x


x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

-

x


x8 Shoulders

A R M

D AY

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

Barbell Curl

H E A V Y

Biceps

Abs

Decline Sit-Ups

Swiss Ball Crunches

F/D

F

F

Notes:

72




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 13 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 34 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Barbell Squat

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 15

60 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10 Calves

F

Standing Calf Raise

x 10

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Hamstrings

T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Quads

F/D

Leg Curl

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8

Notes:


73



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 14 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 32 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x


Shoulders

S U P E R

S E T S

Triceps

Biceps

F/D

F

x8

F

120 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

-

x

Notes:

74




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 15 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 45 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

F

F


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8

Abs

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Notes:


75



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 16 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 44 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

H E A V Y

Biceps

F

F


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

-

x

A R M

D AY

Triceps

F/D

Barbell Curl

Notes:

76



Name:

Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 17 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Leg/Knee Extension

S U P E R

S E T S


Quads

Hamstrings

Calves

Rest

Actual

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

120 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Barbell Squat

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 12

105 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

Standing Calf Raise

x8

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

90 sec.

x

-

x


Goal

x8

F/D

F

F

Notes:


77



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 18 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 50 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

S E T S S U P E R

Abs

F

x 12

75 sec.

x

(or Barbell Press)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x 12

45 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Dumbbell Side Raise

Biceps

F


x 10

Triceps

F/D

F

Notes:

78




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 19 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x8

Shoulders

F


x8

75 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

F

150 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8 Notes:


79



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 20 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 54 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x


x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

-

x


x8 Shoulders

A R M

D AY

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

Barbell Curl

H E A V Y

Biceps

Abs

Decline Sit-Ups

Swiss Ball Crunches

F/D

F

F

Notes:

80




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 21 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 34 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Barbell Squat

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 15

60 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10 Calves

F

Standing Calf Raise

x 10

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Hamstrings

T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Quads

F/D

Leg Curl

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8

Notes:


81



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 22 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 32 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x


Shoulders

S U P E R

S E T S

Triceps

Biceps

F/D

F

x8

F

120 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

-

x

Notes:

82




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 23 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 45 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

F

F


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8

Abs

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Notes:


83



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 24 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 44 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

H E A V Y

Biceps

F

F


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

-

x

A R M

D AY

Triceps

F/D

Barbell Curl

Notes:

84



Name:

Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 25 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Leg/Knee Extension

S U P E R

S E T S


Quads

Hamstrings

Calves

Rest

Actual

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

120 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 12

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x8

150 sec.

x

Barbell Squat

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 12

105 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

Standing Calf Raise

x8

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

90 sec.

x

-

x


Goal

x8

F/D

F

F

Notes:


85



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 26 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 50 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

S E T S S U P E R

Abs

F

x 12

75 sec.

x

(or Barbell Press)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x 12

45 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Dumbbell Side Raise

Biceps

F


x 10

Triceps

F/D

F

Notes:

86




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 27 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x8

Shoulders

F


x8

75 sec.

x

(Machine)

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

F

150 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8 Notes:


87



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 28 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 54 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x


x8

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

45 sec.

x

x 20

-

x


x8 Shoulders

A R M

D AY

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

Barbell Curl

H E A V Y

Biceps

Abs

Decline Sit-Ups

Swiss Ball Crunches

F/D

F

F

Notes:

88




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 29 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 34 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Barbell Squat

Goal

Rest

Actual

x 15

60 sec.

x

x 12

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10 Calves

F

Standing Calf Raise

x 10

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Hamstrings

T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Quads

F/D

Leg Curl

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

-

x

x8

Notes:


89



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 30 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 32 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x


Shoulders

S U P E R

S E T S

Triceps

Biceps

F/D

F

x8

F

120 sec.

x


x 15

F

45 sec.

x

Dumbbell Shrug

x 15

F

45 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x


x 15

0 sec.

x


x 15

45 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

60 sec.

x


x 12

0 sec.

x


x 12

-

x

Notes:

90




Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 31 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 45 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Chest


Goal

Rest

Actual

x8

75 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

x6

150 sec.

x

150 sec.

x

x 10

60 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x

x8

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x

x 10

75 sec.

x


x8 Shoulders

F

F


x8

D

0 sec.

x


x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8 Biceps


T R I P L E

D R O P

S E T S

Triceps

Dumbbell Side Raise

F/D

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

90 sec.

x

x8

Abs

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

D

0 sec.

x

x8

90 sec.

x


x 20

45 sec.

x

Leg Raises (3 sets)

x 20

-

x

Notes:


91



Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 32 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 44 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Back


Goal

Rest

Actual

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 12

60 sec.

x

x 10

90 sec.

x

x 10

120 sec.

x

120 sec.

x

x 10 Close-Grip Seated Cable Row

x 10 Shoulders

H E A V Y

Biceps

F

F


x 15

60 sec.

x

(Rear Delts)

x 15

60 sec.

x

x 15

60 sec.

x


x 10

150 sec.

x

(Barbell)

x8

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x 10

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x8

150 sec.

x

x8

-

x

A R M

D AY

Triceps

F/D

Barbell Curl

Notes:

92



Name:

Date:

Start Time:

8-Week Program

Workout # 33 of 34

Stop Time:

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: 42 min.

Total Time:

Group

Exercise

Legs

Leg/Knee Extension

S U P E R

S E T S


Quads

Hamstrings

Calves

Rest

Actual

x 15

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x 10

120 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 15

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x 10

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 15

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x 10

150 sec.

x

Leg/Knee Extension

x 15

0 sec.

x

Leg Press

x 10

150 sec.

x

Barbell Squat

x 15

90 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

x 12

120 sec.

x

x 15

90 sec.

x

x 15

105 sec.

x

x 15

120 sec.

x

x 15

120 sec.

x

Standing Calf Raise

x 10

90 sec.

x

(Machine)

x 10

90 sec.

x

-

x


Goal

x 10

F/D

F

F

Notes:


93


MAXIMUM GROWTH 8-WEEK SIZE & STRENGTH PROGRAM 5-REP MAX STRENGTH TEST DAY—POST-MEASUREMENTS Name:

Date:

Start Time: N/A

8-Week Program

Workout # 34 of 34

Stop Time: N/A

Maximum Growth

Est. Time: N/A

Total Time: N/A

CAUTION: Please make sure you warm up thoroughly by stretching and performing repetitions before each primary strength test lift. And always use a spotter when performing heavy lifting. TIP: Choose four primary lifts, such as the bench press, barbell squat, shoulder press, barbell row, etc. To determine your five-repetition maximum, simply increase your weight used on each lift until you reach a full set of five repetitions, without help from a spotter. This is your 5-Rep Max. Please be cautious when lifting heavy weights. As a rule of thumb, don’t ever go below four reps, and always keep a spotter on hand, just in case you reach complete muscle failure during your lift.

Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #1: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt.

Rest

x5

Actual Wt. x5


Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #2: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt.

Rest

x5

Actual Wt. x5


Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #3: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt.

Rest

x5

Actual Wt. x5


Group

Exercise

Strength Test Day

Primary Lift #4: [ ______________________________ ]

Planned Wt. x5

Rest

Actual Wt. x5


(Once completed, copy your strength test results onto your post-measurement form/Appendix I.)

94


MAXIMUM GROWTH | APPENDIX I

MAXIMUM GROWTH MUSCLE SIZE & STRENGTH PRE-MEASUREMENT FORM To receive the guaranteed maximum results in muscle size and strength, take a few minutes of your valuable time before you start the 8-week Program and complete the following strength test and body part measurements.

Copy your Pre-Muscle Size & Strength Measurements Here: TIP: Choose four primary lifts, such as the bench press, barbell squat, shoulder press, barbell row, etc. To determine your five-repetition maximum, simply increase your weight used on each lift until you reach a full set of five repetitions, without help from a spotter. This is your 5-Rep Max. Please be cautious when lifting heavy weights. As a rule of thumb, don’t ever go below four reps, and always keep a spotter on hand, just in case you reach complete muscle failure during your lift.

Date:

5-Rep Maximum Strength Test

Weight Lifted

Description (bench, squat, shoulder press, leg press, etc.)

(lbs) for 5 reps

Lift #1:

Bodyfat %*:

Lift #2: Lift #3:

Bodyweight (lbs):

Lift #4: (*Note: Bodyfat measurements are optional.)

Record your Pre-Muscle Size & Strength Measurements Here: TIP: Using a measuring tape or the new MyoTape (from Accufitness), simply stretch the tape around the entire girth of each body part and measure. For example, to measure the chest: stretch the tape so it goes all the way around your upper body (not just across the front of your chest), at or about level with your nipples, under the armpits and across your shoulder blades. Do the same for each body part.

Body Part Dimensions

Measurement (in inches) Use full circumference

Chest: Shoulders: Waist: Quad (use the right leg only): Arm (use the right arm only):

Remember, after your eight weeks are completed, you’ll take another strength test and measure your body parts (on the following page).


95

MAXIMUM GROWTH | APPENDIX I

MAXIMUM GROWTH MUSCLE SIZE & STRENGTH POST-MEASUREMENT FORM Now, take a few minutes of your valuable time after you have completed the 8-week Program to complete the following strength test and body part measurements.

Copy your Post-Muscle Size & Strength Measurements Here: TIP: Use the same four primary lifts you used in the pre-measurement form to determine your five-repetition maximum now. As you did eight weeks ago, simply increase your weight used on each lift until you reach a full set of five repetitions, without help from a spotter. This is your 5-Rep Max. Please be cautious when lifting heavy weights.

Date:

5-Rep Maximum Strength Test

Weight Lifted

Increases (in weight lifted)

Description (bench, squat, shoulder press, leg press, etc.)

(lbs) for 5 reps

Subtract your pre- from your post-measurements

Lift #1:

Bodyfat %*:

Lift #2: Lift #3:

Bodyweight (lbs):

Lift #4: (*Note: Bodyfat measurements are optional.)

Record your Post-Muscle Size & Strength Measurements Here: TIP: Again, use a measuring tape or the new MyoTape (from Accufitness). Simply stretch the tape around the entire girth of each body part and measure.

Body Part Dimensions

Measurement (in inches)

Increases (in inches)

Use full circumference

Subtract your pre- from your post-measurements

Chest: Shoulders: Waist: Quad (use the right leg only): Arm (use the right arm only):

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EXERCISES | APPENDIX II

The 8-Week Size & Strength Program is primarily a compilation of basic yet very effective weight-training movements that are to be performed in a progressive pattern. I will go through a quick review of these exercises just to clarify what I am referring to by the various exercise titles.

WARM UP FIRST Before you jump into your workout, it is important to spend some time warming up. When your muscles are cold, they can be fragile and more easily injured. This is why most muscle tears happen away from the gym. As you pump blood into your muscles, they become warmer and much more elastic. Depending on the temperature in your gym, you may need to do some general warm-up on a treadmill, stationary bike, or stair climber before you focus on the specific muscles. This can be just five or so minutes of light work—just until you start to perspire. Working your abs before your weight-training session also works as a general warm-up. Once you have completed your general warm-up, you can begin to focus on the muscles you are about to train. In this workout, warm-up sets are not included, so you may want to add some extra sets for a warm-up. Do only what you need to do to feel ready. Don’t exhaust yourself; just make sure you are ready for the intense sets ahead. Some light stretching during your warm-up is good, but save the major stretching until after your workout when your muscles are really hot and loose.

CHEST EXERCISES F L AT D U M B B E L L B E N C H P R E S S Alternate Lifts: • Barbell Bench Press • Cable Press • Smith Machine Bench Press • Machine Press

The bench press is the king of all upper body exercises. It primarily works the muscles of the chest, but the shoulders and triceps are also involved. To start, START/FINISH MID-POINT grab two dumbbells, lie back so you’re flat on your back on a bench, and position yourself very securely with your feet flat on the floor. Grip the dumbbells with your hands directly over your elbows with your arms bent at a 90-degree angle. To perform the exercise, simply push the weight up until your arms are straight, directly over your shoulders or mid-chest area. Then, not too slowly but under control, lower the weight back to the starting position. DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS (INCLINE OR DECLINE) Alternate Lifts: • Smith Machine Incline Press • Incline Cable Press • Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Press Machine

Incline and decline dumbbell bench presses are fantastic exercises for not only building upper body mass but increasing your maximum force on the bench press. START/FINISH

MID-POINT

To perform this exercise, lie back on an inclined or declined bench with your two dumbbells as you did on the flat dumbbell bench press. Then simply drive the dumbbells up to a lockout position over the chest. It is a good idea to have a spotter on this exercise. Your spotter should be holding his/her hands underneath your elbows and assisting only when necessary. Please note, the weights listed on the protocol for dumbbell exercises are per dumbbell.

F L AT D U M B B E L L F LY E Alternate Lifts: • Cable Flye • Machine Flye

Lie back on a flat bench and start with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended directly over your shoulders with your palms facing each other. With your elbows slightly bent, slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides, stopping when START/FINISH MID-POINT your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Maintaining the slight bend in your elbows, return to the starting position by following the same arc (sometimes characterized as “hugging a barrel”). The dumbbells may touch, lightly, at the top, but don’t slam them together.


97


SHOULDER EXERCISES S E AT E D D U M B B E L L P R E S S Alternate Lifts: • Seated Barbell Press • Seated Overhead Machine Press

The shoulder press works the muscles of the shoulders and upper back. This exercise can be performed seated on a flat bench or on one with a back rest. I prefer to use a backrest because it keeps the stress off my spine and focuses my effort on the whole shoulder. Start with one dumbbell in each hand, with the weights held at about shoulder height with the palms facing forward. Press the weight up overhead, continuing to keep the dumbbells directly over the shoulders. (The dumbbells do not touch at the top of the movement.) Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. START/FINISH

MID-POINT

D U M B B E L L S I D E R A I S E ( L AT E R A L ) Alternate Lifts: • Cable Side Raise

For the side deltoid (shoulders), start with a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms hanging down at your sides by your hips. Then raise the dumbbells out to START/FINISH MID-POINT the sides, up to a point where they are at the same height as the top of your shoulders. Your palms should be facing down, with your arms only very slightly bent. At the top position, you’ll almost look like you’re forming an “iron cross.” During the entire exercise, keep your body still, and don’t lean forward or backward too far. Pause for a quick second at the top, and then slowly bring the weight down.

R E V E R S E D U M B B E L L F LY E Alternate Lifts: • Reverse Pec-Deck Flye • Reverse Cable Flye

This exercise is somewhat similar to the side raises, only you’re bent forward at the waist, so the focus is on the rear deltoid (shoulders). START/FINISH

MID-POINT

First, with a dumbbell in each hand, bend forward from your hips, lowering your entire upper body, so your back is almost parallel to the floor. Bring the dumbbells toward your feet, near the floor, about shoulder width apart. Raise the dumbbells straight out to the sides until your hands are about the same height as your shoulders. Again, keep a slight bend at the elbow. Hold the dumbbells in this position for a second, palms facing down, and then let them down slowly. Try not to raise your upper body while doing this exercise; otherwise it will put unneeded pressure on your lower back. The slower you go on this exercise, the better.

98



BICEPS EXERCISES

*On all biceps exercises, never bring the weight up to the point where there is no stress on the biceps. The top of the movement should be where the maximal stress is placed on the biceps. S TA N D I N G D U M B B E L L C U R L Alternate Lifts: • Standing Cable Bar Curl • Standing Barbell Curl

In the standing position, hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms hanging down by your sides, in front of your hips, with your palms facing forward. Bend your arms, curling up the dumbbells using minimal cheating, all the way up to the shoulders.

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

INCLINE DUMBBELL CURL Alternate Lifts: • Incline Cable Curls

This is a fantastic biceps exercise. Take two dumbbells, one in each hand, and sit on an incline bench set at about 60 degrees. With your elbows near your sides, curl the dumbbells to the peak of contraction. Dumbbells are held in a palm up position throughout the movement. Don’t stop halfway down (when you’re in line with your body). Get the maximum stretch on your biceps by lowering the dumbbells all the way down, until your arms are almost straight, before coming back up. SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL CURL Alternate Lifts: • Single Arm Cable Curl

This exercise is performed in a seated position with or without back support. Perform the exercise using dumbbells, curling one arm up to a full contraction and lowering back down, then performing the same motion with the other arm. The required reps are per arm. The seated dumbbell curl is a very effective, general biceps exercise. The alternating motion allows more weight to be used. START/FINISH

MID-POINT

TRICEPS EXERCISES CABLE PUSHDOWN Alternate Lifts: • Overhead High-Cable Triceps Extensions •Overhead Close-Grip Dumbbell Extension

This exercise is performed in the standing position with a cable machine of some sort. You can use a rope, a straight bar, or a V-shaped bar—whichever you prefer. I use a rope on this exercise.

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

Lean slightly forward starting with your hands at about mid-chest height before driving the weight down until your arms are locked and you’re really flexing the triceps. Then slowly, under control, let the weight come back up until your hands are at chest level. Keep the upper arm still during the entire exercise. OVERHEAD CABLE TRICEPS EXTENSION Alternate Lifts: • Lying Triceps Extension (EZ Curl Bar) • Bent-Over Triceps Kickbacks/Cable Kickbacks

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

This is a premier triceps exercise. Set up the cable machine with a rope. Standing with your back toward the weight stack, grasp one side of the rope in each hand. Bend forward at the waist, and start with your elbows bent, with your hands just above your head. Drive the weight forward until your arms reach the lockout position, with minimal elbow flare or motion of the upper arm. BENCH DIPS Alternate Lifts: • Close-Grip Bench Press • Close-Grip Bench Smith Machine Press

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

This is a fantastic exercise for building the triceps. Sit down on a bench and place your hands, palms down, on each side of your hips. Straighten your legs until they’re just slightly bent in front of you. Then lift your hips up and off the bench, supporting your body with your arms.

Slowly, bend your arms until they’re bent at a 90-degree angle, lowering your hips toward the ground. Then press up, straightening your arms until your hips are again level with the bench. www.TheMuscleSystem.com

99


BACK EXERCISES W I D E - G R I P L AT P U L L D O W N S Alternate Lifts: • Wide-Grip Pull-Up

This exercise widens the upper back and creates a full sweep in the lats. Grab a long pull-down bar with a wide overhand grip, and sit on the seat with your knees placed under the support. Pull the bar down under control until it touches START/FINISH MID-POINT the top of your chest. Make sure the upper back does the work and you’re not swaying back to involve your lower back. Then let the weight go back up, extend the arms, and really feel your lats get a full stretch. ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROWS Alternate Lifts: • Iso-Row Plate Loaded Machine • Seated Cable Single Arm Rows • Bent-Over Dumbbell Row

Stand beside a flat bench, and bend your right knee and place it on the bench. Lean forward and place your right hand on the bench. Pick up a dumbbell with START/FINISH MID-POINT the left hand. To start the exercise, hold your arm straight down, under your left shoulder. Keeping your arm close to your body, bend your elbow until the upper arm is parallel with the floor and the dumbbell is about even with your abs. Slowly lower the dumbbell toward the ground. Once you have finished all of the reps for the left side of your body, switch position, so your left knee and arm are on the bench, and your right arm is holding the dumbbell. A slight variation of this exercise is to remove the bench and bend over at the waist, holding a dumbbell in each hand, as if you are trying to touch the dumbbells to the ground. Then turn your hands slightly inward, so the palms of your hands face backward, and pull both of the dumbbells upward, at the same time, toward your upper abdomen area. Imagine you have a bar in your hands, trying to make a straight line across the dumbbells. C L O S E - G R I P L AT P U L L D O W N Alternate Lifts: • Close-Grip Pull-Up

Grab a V-handle bar at a pulley station, and sit on the seat with your knees placed under the support. Pull the bar down under control until it touches the top of your chest. Make sure the upper back does the work and you’re not swaying back to involve your lower back. Then slowly let the weight go back up, extend the arms, and really feel your lats get a full stretch. START/FINISH

MID-POINT

PULL-UPS (CHIN-UPS) Cable pulley machines are commonly used in place of pull-ups because of the ability to change the resistance on the machines. Plus, many people simply cannot do pull-ups adequately. But it is worth the effort to practice until you can perform the exercise.

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

A variety of grips can be used, including wide, parallel, narrow, and reverse grips. When doing any pull-up exercise, always keep the head vertical and your shoulders tight. Control your body during the negative motion. Relaxing at the bottom, especially during wide pulls, can cause serious damage to the shoulders. Use good form, controlling the weight, and this will be a productive exercise.

C L O S E - G R I P S E AT E D C A B L E R O W Alternate Lifts: • Iso-Row Plate Loaded Machine

This back exercise is performed on a cable machine, with the cable running parallel to the floor. Sit upright, with your abs held tightly, and pull the bar to your abs as you slightly arch and contract your back muscles. Control the negative portion of the lift, keeping tension on the back and shoulders. Stretch the back, but do not bend at the waist. Don't make your lower back do the work. START/FINISH

100

MID-POINT



LEG (QUADS & HAMSTRINGS) EXERCISES B A R B E L L S Q U AT Alternate Lifts: • Smith Machine Squat • Simulated Squat Machine Press

The squat is one of the most productive exercises you can do. It is performed by positioning a barbell at a spot just below the traps and above the rear deltoids. It does not belong on your neck or on top of your traps! Your feet should be positioned just outside shoulder width. To perform the exercise, bend your knees and carefully lower the hips down to a point where the hip joint breaks parallel with the knee joint, and then drive the weight back up to the standing position. Some people prefer using a one to two-inch block under their heels to improve their posture on this exercise. START/FINISH

MID-POINT

When lifting heavy weights, I recommend having a competent spotter. Knee wraps are acceptable for the maximum sets, but try not to get addicted to them. Done correctly and safely, the squat will not injure your knees but will actually help prevent injury.

LEG EXTENSION Alternate Lifts: • Reverse Leg Extension Machine

Leg extensions are great for getting really deep definition in the legs, particularly for the area around the knees, without losing size.

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

To begin, take a seat on a leg extension machine and hook your legs underneath the lever mechanism. Extend your legs until they’re straight in front of you until locked out, but don’t allow yourself to lift off and cheat up the weight. Then lower the weight slowly until your feet come to under your knees and the thighs are fully stretched out. Make sure you really focus on the top, getting a tremendous peak contraction.

LEG CURL Alternate Lifts: • Standing Leg Curl Machine

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

Staying flat on the machine, curl your legs up as far as possible, until the hamstrings get a peak contraction. Release and lower the weight under control back to the starting position. Doing this movement too fast can cause injury. Hold on to the handles or even the bench itself to keep yourself from coming up off the bench. Leg curls should be done through the fullest range of motion possible.

LEG PRESS Alternate Lifts: • Hack Squat • Simulated Leg Press Machine

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

This can be a productive leg exercise provided you have access to a good leg press. Some of the older leg presses are not well designed and can place damaging stresses on joints. Most of the popular 45-degree angle sleds are good.

After getting firmly situated in the leg press machine, the weight can be slowly lowered to a point where the top of the thighs touch the abdominal area. Then the weight should be driven out to a point just before a full lockout position. Use a full range of motion on this exercise, or you won’t enjoy maximum (or even minimal) benefits.


101


LEG (QUADS & HAMSTRINGS) EXERCISES (CONT.) S T R A I G H T- L E G G E D D U M B B E L L D E A D L I F T Alternate Lifts: • Bent-Legged Barbell Deadlift • Straight-Legged Smith Machine Deadlift

While this lift involves a lot of muscles, it is primarily used as a hamstring exercise. It is an excellent exercise for developing the hamstrings. However, caution should be taken if you have had any back injuries. Grip the bar shoulder-width apart, so your arms are vertical. If your flexibility is not great, you may want to start by doing these off the floor to limit your range START/FINISH MID-POINT of motion. As you increase your flexibility, you can do these off a block, platform, or a bench. Keep your head up and your knees slightly bent. (Don’t lock them out!) Pull smoothly upward, keeping the bar close to your legs all the way up. If the bar gets away from your body, it places too much stress on the spine. Never do less than six reps with this exercise, and always keep your form tight.

CALF EXERCISES S TA N D I N G C A L F R A I S E S Alternate Lifts: • Machine Calf Raises

Certainly not the easiest body part to build and one of the most show-off summer muscle groups is the calves. Well-defined calves are a sign of athleticism, speed, and agility, but they don’t come easy. One of the most effective ways to build impressive calves is with standing calf raises. Stand and place your toes on the block of a standing calf raise machine, with your heels extended out into space. Put your shoulders beneath the pads and straighten your legs, lifting the weight off of the support. Lower your heels as far as possible toward the floor. You should keep your knees somewhat bent throughout the exercise, so you work the lower area of the calves as well as the upper, and feel the calf muscles stretch completely. Make sure the block is high enough so you get a full stretch when lowering your heels. At the bottom of the movement, drive up on your toes as far as possible and get a great peak contraction. START/FINISH

MID-POINT

ABDOMINAL EXERCISES CRUNCHES Alternate Lifts: • Swiss Ball Crunches

Lie flat on your back on the ground or on a “sit-up board” with your feet flat. Cross your hands and place them on your upper chest. Keep your head and neck stable. You should visualize the rib cage being drawn down and in toward the START/FINISH MID-POINT pelvis when the abdominals contract. Both the contraction and the eccentric (i.e., lowering) phase should be slow and precise. Caution: Don’t put your hands behind your head. This leads to poor form and possible injury. LEG LIFTS Alternate Lifts: • Reverse Crunches

START/FINISH

MID-POINT

Lie on your back on a flat or slightly inclined bench, and grab the top of the bench. Keep your legs straight or just slightly bent, so your thighs are parallel to the floor and your toes are pointed outward. Keep your knees and your feet close together to reduce unnecessary motion. Slowly contract the abdominals, focusing on raising the legs up until they are perpendicular to the floor. Let the abs do the work. Lower your legs slowly to their starting position, maintaining constant tension on the abs. Caution: Don’t perform this exercise quickly; excess momentum can cause you to lose proper form and may lead to lower back injury.

For more detailed explanations and photos of exercises, please visit www.RealSOLUTIONSmag.com/weight-training 102


T H E M E A L S - S A M P L E D AY 1 | A P P E N D I X I I I Here are six examples of what a day might look like as far as daily food intake is considered. (Examples are for a 175-lb man. To find your caloric requirements, simply multiply your bodyweight, or rather the weight you want to weigh, by 15):

Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (7:00 a.m.) 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 25 2 142 6 egg whites (one whole egg) 24 6 6 180 1 cup of black coffee 0 0 0 5 (sweetened with Splenda®) 1 protein shake (e.g., Designer Protein) mixed with 10 oz of water 20 4 2 120 Meal Total 50 35 10 447 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 38 11 6 240 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 Meal Total 38 32 6 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) Two 4-oz chicken breasts 54 0 6 284 1 cup of brown rice 5 46 2 218 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 59 46 8 502 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese 28 6 2 163 1 large orange 1 17 0 69 10 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 29 23 2 232 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-Workout (5:00 p.m.) —1 serving of H-Blocker 0 12.5 0 50 ——Workout——(5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)—— (6:45 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Supplement] 1 serving of 3-XL 0 10 0 40 Meal #5 (7:00 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Meal] 1 meal-replacement shake 38 11 6 240 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 1 large baked yam 2 40 0 160 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 40 72 7 480 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1/2 meal-replacement shake (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart shake) mixed with low-fat/sugar-free frozen yogurt and water 28

41

3

320

Meal Total 28 41 3 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total

244 g

271.5 g

36 g

2,391


41%

45%

13.5%

—


103

T H E M E A L S - S A M P L E D AY 2 | A P P E N D I X I I I

Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (7:00 a.m.) 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 25 2 142 with 2 scoops of Designer Protein 35 4 3 180 (chocolate is my favorite!) and 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped 7 3 17 175 1 cup of black coffee 0 0 0 5 (sweetened with Splenda®) Meal Total 48 32 22 502 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 38 11 6 240 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 Meal Total 38 31 6 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) 6 oz salmon, canned 34 0 10 236 1 medium-large potato 4 37 0 161 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 38 37 10 397 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 2 cups low-fat (1%) yogurt 26 34 8 308 1 large banana 1 32 1 125 10 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 27 66 9 433 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-Workout (5:00 p.m.) —1 serving of H-Blocker 0 12.5 0 50 ——Workout——(5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)—— (6:45 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Supplement] 1 serving of 3-XL 0 10 0 40 Meal #5 (7:00 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Meal] one 4-oz chicken breast 26 0 3 142 1 large baked yam 2 40 0 160 1 medium apple 0 21 0 80 mixed green salad 0 0 14 119 (with one Tbs olive oil/vinegar dressing) 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 28 61 17 501 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1/2 meal-replacement shake (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart shake) mixed with low-fat/sugar-free frozen yogurt and water 28 41 3 320 Meal Total 28 41 3 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total

207 g

290.5 g

67 g

2,563


32%

45%

23%

—

104



Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (7:00 a.m.) 1/2 cup cooked oat bran 7 25 3 155 1 protein shake (e.g., 2 scoops Designer Protein) with 10 oz of water 40 8 4 240 Meal Total 47 33 7 395 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 39 19 8 290 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart Cookies & Cream Flavor) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 Meal Total 39 40 8 370 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) one 2-oz chicken breast 27 0 3 142 1 cup of lentils 11 31 2 332 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 38 31 5 474 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese 28 6 2 163 1 large orange 1 17 0 69 10 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 29 23 2 232 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-Workout (5:00 p.m.) —1 serving of H-Blocker ——Workout——(5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)—— (6:45 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Supplement] 1 serving of 3-XL

0

12.5

0

50

0

10

0

40

Meal #5 (7:00 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Meal] 1/2 meal-replacement shake 14.5 6.5 5 170 (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart Strawberry Cheesecake Flavor) mixed with water or skim milk 1 small banana 1 23 0 90 1 large baked yam 2 40 0 160 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 17.5 69.5 5 420 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1/2 meal-replacement shake (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart shake) mixed with low-fat/sugar-free frozen yogurt and water 48 41 3 320 Meal Total 48 41 3 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total Daily Caloric % Total (approximate)


218.5 g

260 g

30 g

2,301

38%

45%

12%

—

105


Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (7:00 a.m.) 1/2 cup cooked oat bran 27 29 5 275 mixed with one scoop protein powder (e.g., Designer Protein) and 10 oz of water 6 egg whites (one whole egg) 24 6 6 180 Meal Total 51 35 11 455 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 39 22 7.5 300 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart Cinnamon Roll Flavored) mixed with water or skim milk Meal Total 39 22 7.5 300 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) 6 oz salmon, canned 34 0 10 236 1 cup brown rice 5 46 2 218 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 39 46 12 454 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese 28 6 2 163 1 large orange 1 17 0 69 10 oz water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 29 23 2 232 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-Workout (5:00 p.m.) —1 serving of H-Blocker ——Workout——(5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)—— (6:45 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Supplement] 1 serving of 3-XL

0

12.5

0

50

0

10

0

40

Meal #5 (7:00 p.m.)—[Post-Workout Meal] 3 oz top round steak 30 0 5 145 1 cup asparagus cooked 4 8 0 40 1 large baked yam 2 40 0 160 1/2 cup brown rice 2.5 23 1 109 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 38.5 71 6 454 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 38 16 6 260 (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart Peanut Butter Cups Flavored) mixed with water or skim milk Meal Total 38 16 6 260 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total Daily Caloric % Total (approximate)

106

234.5g

235.5 g

44.5 g

2,245

41%

41%

18%

—



*This is an example of a non-training day.

Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (7:00 a.m.) 8 egg whites, scrambled (use 1 whole egg) 28 1 7 213 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 25 2 142 with 1/4 cup raisins 1 34 0 129 1 cup of black coffee 0 0 0 5 (sweetened with Splenda®) 10 oz water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 35 60 9 489 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 serving of H-Blocker 0 12.5 0 50 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 39 19 8 290 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 Meal Total 39 40 8 370 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) 6 oz chicken on whole-wheat pita 38 35 6 242 (with lettuce, tomato, mustard, etc.) 1 cup low-fat (1%) yogurt 13 17 4 154 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 51 52 10 396 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese 28 6 2 163 1 large orange 1 17 0 69 10 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 29 23 2 232 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #5 (7:00 p.m.) 6 oz top-sirloin steak, barbequed/broiled 50 0 16 366 1 large baked yam 2 40 0 160 1 cup broccoli, steamed 4 8 0 44 Mixed green salad 0 0 14 119 (with one Tbs olive oil/vinegar dressing) 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 56 48 30 689 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1/2 meal-replacement shake (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart shake) mixed with low-fat/sugar-free frozen yogurt and water 28 41 3 320 Meal Total 28 41 3 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (9:30 p.m.) 1 serving of 3-XL 0 10 0 40 ——Serving on Non-Workout Day——(before bed)—— _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total

238 g

286.5 g

62 g

2,586


36%

43%

21%

—


107


*This is an example of a morning workout day.

Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-Workout (5:15 a.m.) —1 serving of H-Blocker 0 12.5 0 50 ——Workout——(6:00 to 6:45 a.m.)—— (7:00 a.m.)—[Post-Workout Supplement] 1 serving of 3-XL 0 10 0 40 Meal #1 (7:15 a.m.)—[Post-Workout Meal] 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 25 2 142 with a teaspoon wheat germ and 10 25 5 183 1 scoop of Designer Protein 17.5 2 1.5 180 2 pieces whole-wheat toast 4 30 2 156 1 banana 1 23 0 90 Meal Total 38.5 105 10.5 751 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (10:00 a.m.) 1 meal-replacement shake 38 16 6 260 (e.g., 16-oz Eat-Smart Peanut Butter Cups Flavor) mixed with water or skim milk 1 medium-sized apple 0 21 0 80 Meal Total 38 37 6 340 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #3 (12:30 p.m.) 6 oz salmon, canned 34 0 10 236 1 large baked yam 2 40 0 160 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 36 40 10 396 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #4 (4:00 p.m.) 2 cups low-fat (1%) yogurt 26 34 8 308 1 large banana 1 32 1 125 10 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 27 66 9 433 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #5 (7:00 p.m.) two 4-oz chicken breasts 52 0 6 284 1 cup brown rice 5 46 2 218 mixed green salad 0 0 14 119 (with one Tbs olive oil/vinegar dressing) 20 oz of water 0 0 0 0 Meal Total 57 46 22 621 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #6 (10:00 p.m.) 1/2 meal-replacement shake (e.g., 8-oz Eat-Smart shake) mixed with low-fat/sugar-free frozen yogurt and water 28 41 3 320 Meal Total 28 41 3 320 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total Daily Caloric % Total (approximate)

108

224.5 g

357.5 g

60.5 g

2,951

31%

49%

19%

—


D A I LY M E A L P L A N S H E E T | A P P E N D I X I I I

Date: __________________________________

Sample Daily Food Intake Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g) Calories _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #1 (time: ________________________ ) 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 egg whites (one whole egg) 1 cup of black coffee (sweetened with 1 protein shake (e.g., Designer Protein)

6 24 0

25 6 0

2 6 0

142 180 5

Meal Total 50 35 10 447 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meal #2 (time: ________________________ ) 1 cup cooked oatmeal 6 egg whites (one whole egg) 1 cup of black coffee (sweetened with 1 protein shake (e.g., Designer Protein)

6 24 0

25 6 0

2 6 0

142 180 5


6 24 0

25 6 0

2 6 0

142 180 5


6 24 0

25 6 0

2 6 0

142 180 5


6 24 0

25 6 0

2 6 0

142 180 5


6 24 0

25 6 0

2 6 0

142 180 5

Meal Total 50 35 10 447 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daily Total Daily Caloric % Total (approximate) www.TheMuscleSystem.com

109

References American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada, “Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance,” Med Sci Sports Exerc 32.12 (2000) : 2130-45. Baba, N.H., et al, “High Protein vs High Carbohydrate Hypoenergetic Diet for the Treatment of Obese Hyperinsulinemic Subjects,” Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 23.11 (1999) : 1202-6. Bendahan, D., et al., "Citrulline/Malate Promotes Aerobic Energy Production in Human Exercising Muscle," Br J Sports Med 36.4 (2002) : 282-9. Berneis, K., et al., “Effects of Hyper- and Hypoosmolality on Whole Body Protein and Glucose Kinetics in Humans,” Am J Physiol 276 (1999) : E188-95. Byrne, C., and Eston, R., “Maximal-Intensity Isometric and Dynamic Exercise Performance After Eccentric Muscle Actions,” J Sports Sci 20.12 (2002) : 951-9. Callis, A., et al., "Activity of Citrulline Malate on Acid Base Balance and Blood Ammonia and Amino Acid Levels. Study in the Animal and in Man," Arzneimittelforschung 41.6 (1991) : 660-3. Coyle, E.E. (Gatorade Sports Science Institute), “Fluid and Carbohydrate Replacement During Exercise: How Much And Why?” SSE 50.7 (1994) #3. Czeisler, C.A., and Klerman, E.B., “Circadian and Sleep-Dependent Regulation of Hormone Release in Humans,” Recent Prog Horm Res 54 (1999) : 97-130 Discussion; 130-2 Review Demant, T.W., and Rhodes, E.C., “Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Exercise Performance,” Sports Med 28.1 (1999) : 49-60. Deschenes, M.R., and Kraemer, W.J., “Performance and Physiologic Adaptations to Resistance Training,” Am J Phys Med Rehabil 81.11S (2002) : S3-16. Review Dunaev, V., et al., "Effect of Malic Acid Salts on Physical Working Capacity and its Restoration After Exhausting Muscular Work," Farmakol Toksikol 51.3 (1988) : 21-5. Eiken, O., et al, “Effects of Ischaemic Training on Force Development and Fibre-Type Composition in Human Skeletal Muscle,” Clin Physiol 11.1 (1991) : 41-9.

Feldman, E.B., “Creatine: A Dietary Supplement and Ergogenic Aid,” Nutr Rev 57.2 (1999) : 45-50. Fern, E.B., and Waterlow, J.C., “Protein Turnover, Nitrogen Balance and Rehabilitation,” Experientia Suppl 44 (1983) : 89-106. Review Gibala, M.J., “Nutritional Supplementation and Resistance Exercise: What Is the Evidence for Enhanced Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy?” Can J Appl Physiol 25.6 (2000) 24-35. Review Grandjean, A., “Nutritional Requirements to Increase Lean Mass,” Clin Sports Med 18.3 (1999) : 623-32. Greenhaff, P.L., “The Nutritional Biochemistry of Creatine,” J Nutr Biochem 8 (1997) : 610-8. Haussinger, D., et al., “Regulation of Cell Function by the Cellular Hydration State,” Am J Physiol 267 (1994) : E343-55. Hunter, W.M., et al., “Growth Hormone: Important Role in Muscular Exercise in Adults,” Science 150.699 (1965) : 1051-3. Ivy, J.L., et. al., “Early Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery Is Enhanced with a Carbohydrate-Protein Supplement,” Journal of Applied Physiology APStracts 9 (2002) : 279A. Johnston, C.S., et al., “Postprandial Thermogenesis Is Increased 100% on a High-Protein, Low-Fat Diet Versus a High-Carbohydrate, Low-Fat Diet in Healthy, Young Women,” J Am Coll Nutr 21.1 (2002) : 55-61. Kraemer, W.J., et al., “American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults,” Med Sci Sports Exerc 34.2 (2002) : 364-80. Review Kreider, R.B., “Creatine Supplementation: Analysis of Ergogenic Value, Medical Safety, and Concerns,” JEP Online 1.1 (1998). Lemon, P.W., “Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals,” J Am Coll Nutr 19.5S (2000) : 513S-521S. Review Lemon, P., et al., “Effect of Oral Creatine Supplementation on Energetic During Repeated Maximal Muscle Contraction,” Med Sci Sport Exerc 27 (1995) : S204.

Engelhardt, M., et al., “Creatine Supplementation in Endurance Sports,” Med Sci Sport Exerc 30.7 (1998) : 1123-9.

MacKinnon, L.T., “Special Feature for the Olympics: Effects of Exercise on the Immune System: Overtraining Effects on Immunity and Performance in Athletes,” Immunol Cell Biol 78.5 (2000) : 502-9. Review

Esbjornsson, M., et al., “Fast Twitch Fibres May Predict Anaerobic Performance in Both Females and Males,” Int J Sports Med 14.5 (1993) : 257-63.

Mujika, I., and Padilla, S., “Creatine Supplementation as an Ergogenic Aid for Sports Performance in Highly Trained Athletes: A Critical Review,” Int J Sports Med 18.7 (1997) : 491-6.

Experimental Biology 2003, April 11-15, 2003, San Diego, California Abstract 204.4

Pearson, A.M., “Muscle Growth and Exercise,” Crit Rev in Food Sci and Nutr 29.3 (1990) : 167-96.


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References (cont.) Piatti, P.M., et al., “Hypocaloric High-Protein Diet Improves Glucose Oxidation and Spares Lean Body Mass: Comparison to Hypocaloric High-Carbohydrate Diet,” Metabolism 43.12 (1994) : 1481-7. Reggiani, C., and Kronnie, T., “Hyperplasia in Exercise-Induced Muscle Growth?” Basic & Appl Myology 9.6 (1999) : 289-92. Robertson, R.J., et al., “Blood Glucose Extraction as a Mediator of Perceived Exertion During Prolonged Exercise,” Eur J Appl Physiol 61.1-2 (1990) : 100-5. Rozenek, R., et al., “Effects of High-Calorie Supplements on Body Composition and Muscular Strength Following Resistance Training,” J Sports Med Phys Fitness 42.3 (2002) : 340-7. Russell, I.J., et al., "Treatment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome with Super Malic: a Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Pilot Study," J Rheumatol 22.5 (1995) :953-8. Stone, M.H., et al., “Effects of In-Season (5 Weeks) Creatine and Pyruvate Supplementation on Anaerobic Performance and Body Composition in American Football Players,” Int J Sport Nutr 9.2 (1999) : 146-65. Tarnopolsky, M., and Martin, J., “Creatine Monohydrate Increases Strength in Patients with Neuromuscular Disease,” Neurology 52.4 (1999) : 854-7. Tarpenning, K.M., et al., “Influence of Weight Training Exercise and Modification of Hormonal Response on Skeletal Muscle Growth,” J Sci Med Sport 4.4 (2001) : 431-46. Thayer, R., et al., “A Decade of Aerobic Endurance Training: Histological Evidence for Fibre Type Transformation,” J Sports Med Phys Fitness 40.4 (2000) : 284-9. Toler, S.M., “Creatine Is an Ergogen for Anaerobic Exercise,” Nutr Rev 55.1.1 (1997) : 21-3. Vahl, N., et al., “Abdominal Adiposity Rather Than Age and Sex Predicts Mass and Regularity of GH Secretion in Healthy Adults,” Am J Physiol 272.6.1 (1997) : E1108-16. VanHelder, T., et al., “Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Exercise on Glucose Tolerance,” Aviat Space Environ Med 64.6 (1993) : 487-92. Volek, J.S., et al., “Performance and Muscle Fiber Adaptations to Creatine Supplementation and Heavy Resistance Training,” Med Sci Sports Exerc 31.8 (1999) : 1147-56. Weiss, L.W., et al., “Gross Measures of Exercise-Induced Muscular Hypertrophy,” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 30.3 (2000) : 143-8.


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About ___________________the ____________Author: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ As an avid weight trainer and one-time national competitive bodybuilder, Stephen Adelé has always had an intense interest in physique enhancement and muscular performance. With a burning desire to “know more” about human physiology, Stephen began following the latest scientific findings on performance-enhancement aids and their impact on the physique. It was then he was confronted with a world of confusing and oftentimes conflicting information and theories. Using real-world applications as a foundation, Stephen looked for scientific evidence to support his theories (which is the opposite of how this process “normally” works!). Stephen has since committed and dedicated his time to continually discovering and reporting the absolute “truths” about such topics as which exercise routines, nutrition plans, and supplements work and which ones don’t. Under the direction of Stephen as Editorin-Chief, their “tell-it-like-it-is” publication, Real SOLUTIONS magazine, has quickly become the fastest growing, most talked about physique development magazine in the world—distributed in 12 countries— with a loyal and growing readership of over 150,000 weight trainers. MAXIMUM GROWTH incorporates the many “inside connections” and lessons learned over the past 15 years in Stephen’s own pursuit of building a lean, muscular physique. This book combines the latest scientific research, real-world experiences, and a good dose of commonsense (something greatly overlooked in today’s world of over-hyped and under-performing “Holy Grail” tactics for building a respectable physique). Now, you have the answers you need to build muscle and gain strength the right way!

Acknowledgements: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Although there is a comprehensive list of references from textbooks, scientific journals, and various authors on the previous page, there are several people I am forever grateful to for making this book better than I ever envisioned. I am thankful to my wife, Julia, and our two little princesses, for their universal support and karmic goodwill; my parents, for believing in me from the very start; James O’Byrne, for his unyielding contributions and expert guidance to tighten up the science; Christopher Ball, for helping work out the kinks; Anthony Almada, for providing his profound and insightful intellect to our project; Sue Mosebar, my all-star editor, for her “eagle eye”; and Marcus Knodle, our creative director, for making everything look “just right.” In addition, I must thank photographer Chris Ward and models Marizta Franco and Michael Ryan for their help illustrating each of the exercises and photographer Dennis Lane and model Rehan Jalali for the fantastic physique photos throughout this book.

^_)^_(^_)^_(^_)^_(^_)^_(^_)^_(

Our _____________Community: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Discover the lively and informative discussion board exclusive to MAXIMUM GROWTH participants at www.RealSolutionsMag.com. Ask your questions and read firsthand accounts of the amazing results people just like you are having right now with this breakthrough Program. Plus, receive a FREE special report “5 Muscle Secrets” and our monthly newsletter, Real SOLUTIONS.


113

Please Don’t Keep This Fantastic, Free Book a Secret… Share MAXIMUM GROWTH! (And Help Us Achieve Our Dream of Giving Away 200,000 MAXIMUM GROWTH Books)! Want to make a good friend an even better one (or make a new friend)? No problem… tell them to ask their favorite supplement retailer for a copy, or just tear out these cards and give it to them, and I’ll immediately rush them a FREE copy of MAXIMUM GROWTH!

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Do a Good Friend a Big Favor… Share MAXIMUM GROWTH! Stephen, a good friend of mine had great success with your Program and gave me this voucher… I would like to gain new muscle size and strength, so would you please send me a FREE copy of MAXIMUM GROWTH II, the 8-Week Muscle Size & Strength Program (a $25 Value). Thanks so much. Please Rush My

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Stephen, a good friend of mine had great success with your Program and gave me this voucher… I would like to gain new muscle size and strength, so would you please send me a FREE copy of MAXIMUM GROWTH II, the 8-Week Muscle Size & Strength Program (a $25 Value). Thanks so much. Please Rush My


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Stephen, a good friend of mine had great success with your Program and gave me this voucher… I would like to gain new muscle size and strength, so would you please send me a FREE copy of MAXIMUM GROWTH II, the 8-Week Muscle Size & Strength Program (a $25 Value). Thanks so much.


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MAXIMUM GROWTH

Amazing Real-Life Success Stories Gained 6 lbs of lean mass and increased squat by 80 lbs, in less than a month!

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BEFORE

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Max bench increased by 30 lbs and squat by an unbelievable 95 lbs… in less than 30 days! “The Maximum Growth Program is truly amazing. My bench press soared 30 lbs in 30 days, and my squats increased by 95 lbs! The past four weeks have left me starving for more—if I can accomplish this in 30 days, there is no telling where I might be in another 60 days from now. This system is not for wimps: it is brutally intense and requires drive and focus. It is what body development is all about—RESULTS!”

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DO YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED IN OUR NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN? If you wouldn’t mind seeing your pictures in every “Muscle and Fitness” magazine across America and consider yourself SERIOUS about improving your body, simply visit www.themusclesystem.com/spokesperson for more details. Or if you can’t wait, please call 1-866-688-7679 toll free (ask for Dept. #2189), ask to speak to one of iSatori’s friendly fitness experts, and tell them you want “IN” on the exclusive Maximum Growth spokesperson tryout.

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